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Vaskinn A, Ueland T, Melle I, Sundet K. Sex differences in social cognition among individuals with schizophrenia and in healthy control participants: a secondary analysis of published data. Arch Womens Ment Health 2024:10.1007/s00737-024-01422-8. [PMID: 38244033 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-024-01422-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Sex differences are present among individuals experiencing schizophrenia. Whether these differences extend to social cognition is unclear. In this study, we investigated sex differences in emotion perception, social perception and theory of mind (ToM). METHODS We examined sex differences between males and females with schizophrenia on five social cognitive tests. Healthy male and female control participants were included to examine if any sex difference was illness-specific. Emotion perception was measured with Pictures of Facial Affect (PFA) and Emotion in Biological Motion (EmoBio); social perception with the Relationships Across Domains Test (RAD); and ToM with the Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC) and Hinting Task. RESULTS Two-way analyses of variance revealed overall group differences for all tests, with healthy controls outperforming individuals with schizophrenia. Significant sex effects were present for PFA and Hinting Task. There were no significant interaction effects. Within-group independent samples t-tests yielded one significant sex difference, i.e., among healthy controls for PFA. CONCLUSIONS Females had better facial emotion perception than males. This sex difference was statistically significant among healthy controls and medium-large among individuals experiencing schizophrenia. There were no significant sex differences for other social cognitive domains. The study did not find evidence for a general female advantage in social cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Vaskinn
- Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4956, Nydalen, 0424, Oslo, Norway.
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Torill Ueland
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Psychosis Research Section, Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingrid Melle
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Psychosis Research Section, Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kjetil Sundet
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Bourdage R, Narme P, Neeskens R, Papma J, Franzen S. An Evaluation of Cross-Cultural Adaptations of Social Cognition Testing: A Systematic Review. Neuropsychol Rev 2023:10.1007/s11065-023-09616-0. [PMID: 37975971 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-023-09616-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Social cognition remains one of the most difficult cognitive domains to assess in diverse populations due to a lack of culturally appropriate tools. This study systematically reviewed literature on neuropsychological tests for social cognition that have been translated, adapted, are cross-cultural, or are assembled for diverse, specifically "Global South," populations. The aim was to identify assessments appropriate for diverse populations, outline and evaluate their methodological approaches, and provide procedural recommendations for future research. The PRISMA systematic review search strategy produced 10,957 articles, of which 287 were selected for full-text screening. The study had to include a neuropsychological assessment of social cognition. The full text of the resulting 287 articles was then screened; the study had to include a translated, adapted, cross-cultural test, or an assembled test for Global South populations. Eighty-four articles were included in this study: 24 for emotion recognition, 45 for theory of mind, 9 for moral reasoning, and six for social cognition in general. Overall, there were 31 translations, 27 adaptations, 14 cross-cultural tests, and 12 assembled tests for Global South populations. Regarding quality, 35 were of low quality, 27 were of moderate quality, and 22 were high quality. This study provides an overview of social cognition tests modified or assembled for diverse populations and gives examples of methodological procedures. It highlights the variability in procedure quality and provides possible reasons for this variability. Finally, it suggests a need to report rigorous modification and assembly procedure in order to have modified and assembled social cognition tests appropriate for diverse populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renelle Bourdage
- Laboratoire Mémoire Cerveau et Cognition (UR 7536), Institut de Psychologie, Université Paris Cité, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
| | - Pauline Narme
- Laboratoire Mémoire Cerveau et Cognition (UR 7536), Institut de Psychologie, Université Paris Cité, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Raquel Neeskens
- Alzheimer Center & Department of Neurology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Janne Papma
- Alzheimer Center & Department of Neurology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sanne Franzen
- Alzheimer Center & Department of Neurology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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Vaskinn A, Engelstad KN, Zamparini M, de Girolamo G, Torgalsbøen AK, Rund BR. The "zipper model of empathy" applied to violence in schizophrenia: A search for social cognitive underpinnings of lack of empathic behavior. Compr Psychiatry 2023; 124:152391. [PMID: 37156206 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2023.152391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The "zipper model of empathy" has been proposed for psychopathy. It postulates that empathic behavior may fail to arise due to impaired facial emotion recognition. In this study, we examined if the model may be of relevance for schizophrenia. METHODS In a sample of participants with schizophrenia and a history of severe interpersonal violence, associations between measures of social cognition (emotion recognition, theory of mind) and aspects of psychopathy (lack of empathy, lack of remorse) were investigated. A non-violent sample experiencing schizophrenia served as a control group. RESULTS Correlation analyses revealed a specific and statistically significant association between facial emotion recognition and lack of empathy in the violent sample. Follow-up analyses identified that neutral emotions were of particular importance. Logistic regression analyses confirmed that impairments in facial emotion recognition predicted levels of empathy in the violent sample experiencing schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the "zipper model of empathy" may be relevant for schizophrenia. The findings further point to the potential benefit of including social cognitive training in the treatment of persons with schizophrenia and a history of interpersonal aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Vaskinn
- Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
| | | | - Manuel Zamparini
- Unit of Epidemiological and Evaluation Psychiatry, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Giovanni de Girolamo
- Unit of Epidemiological and Evaluation Psychiatry, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Bjørn Rishovd Rund
- Research Department, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Drammen, Norway; Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Thibaudeau E, Rae J, Raucher-Chéné D, Bougeard A, Lepage M. Disentangling the Relationships Between the Clinical Symptoms of Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders and Theory of Mind: A Meta-analysis. Schizophr Bull 2023; 49:255-274. [PMID: 36244001 PMCID: PMC10016420 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbac150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS Previous studies have suggested links between clinical symptoms and theory of mind (ToM) impairments in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), but it remains unclear whether some symptoms are more strongly linked to ToM than others. STUDY DESIGN A meta-analysis (Prospero; CRD42021259723) was conducted to quantify and compare the strength of the associations between ToM and the clinical symptoms of SSD (Positive, Negative, Cognitive/Disorganization, Depression/Anxiety, Excitability/Hostility). Studies (N = 130, 137 samples) including people with SSD and reporting a correlation between clinical symptoms and ToM were retrieved from Pubmed, PsycNet, Embase, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, Proquest, WorldCat, and Open Gray. Correlations for each dimension and each symptom were entered into a random-effect model using a Fisher's r-to-z transformation and were compared using focused-tests. Publication bias was assessed with the Rosenthal failsafe and by inspecting the funnel plot and the standardized residual histogram. STUDY RESULTS The Cognitive/Disorganization (Zr = 0.28) and Negative (Zr = 0.24) dimensions revealed a small to moderate association with ToM, which was significantly stronger than the other dimensions. Within the Cognitive/Disorganization dimension, Difficulty in abstract thinking (Zr = 0.36) and Conceptual disorganization (Zr = 0.39) showed the strongest associations with ToM. The association with the Positive dimension (Zr = 0.16) was small and significantly stronger than the relationship with Depression/Anxiety (Zr = 0.09). Stronger associations were observed between ToM and clinical symptoms in younger patients, those with an earlier age at onset of illness and for tasks assessing a combination of different mental states. CONCLUSIONS The relationships between Cognitive/Disorganization, Negative symptoms, and ToM should be considered in treating individuals with SSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Thibaudeau
- McGill University, Department of Psychiatry, Montreal, Canada
- Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jesse Rae
- Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, Canada
- McGill University, Department of Psychology, Montreal, Canada
| | - Delphine Raucher-Chéné
- McGill University, Department of Psychiatry, Montreal, Canada
- Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, Canada
- Cognition, Health, and Society Laboratory (EA 6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
- Academic Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Reims, EPSM Marne, Reims, France
| | | | - Martin Lepage
- McGill University, Department of Psychiatry, Montreal, Canada
- Douglas Research Centre, Montreal, Canada
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Yeh YC, Hung CF, Lin CY, Wu YY, Kuo CH, Potenza MN, Cheng CH, Chen KL. The animated assessment of theory of mind for people with schizophrenia (AToMS): development and psychometric evaluation. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2022; 273:663-677. [PMID: 36253583 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-022-01498-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Theory of mind (ToM) deficits in people with schizophrenia have been reported and associated with impaired social interactions. Thus, ToM deficits may negatively impact social functioning and warrant consideration in treatment development. However, extant ToM measures may place excessive cognitive demands on people with schizophrenia. Therefore, the study aimed to develop a comprehensible Assessment of ToM for people with Schizophrenia (AToMS) and evaluate its psychometric properties. The AToMs was developed in 5 stages, including item formation, expert review, content validity evaluation, animation production, and cognitive interviews of 25 people with schizophrenia. The psychometric properties of the 16-item AToMS (including reliability and validity) were then tested on 59 people with schizophrenia. The newly developed animated AToMS assesses 8 ToM concepts in the cognitive and affective dimensions while placing minimal neurocognitive demands on people with schizophrenia. The AToMS presented satisfactory psychometric properties, with adequate content validity (content validity index = 0.91); mostly moderate item difficulty (item difficulty index = 0.339-0.966); good discrimination (coefficients = 0.379-0.786), internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.850), and reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.901 for test-retest, 0.997 for inter-rater); and satisfactory convergent and divergent validity. The AToMS is reliable and valid for evaluating ToM characteristics in people with schizophrenia. Future studies are warranted to examine the AToMS in other populations (e.g., people with affective disorders) to cross-validate and extend its utility and psychometric evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Chin Yeh
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Shu-Zen Junior College of Medicine and Management, Kaohsiung, 821004, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Fa Hung
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 804201, Taiwan.,Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, 833401, Taiwan.,College of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, 912301, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Ying Lin
- Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701401, Taiwan. .,Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701401, Taiwan. .,Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701401, Taiwan. .,Biostatistics Consulting Center, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701401, Taiwan.
| | - Yuh-Yih Wu
- Department of Special Education, National Kaohsiung Normal University, Kaohsiung, 802561, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hong Kuo
- Department of Academic Office, Kaohsiung Municipal Nan-Zih Special School, Kaohsiung, 811214, Taiwan
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA.,Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT, USA.,Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.,Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Chun-Hua Cheng
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Kaohsiung Municipal Kai-Syuan Psychiatric Hospital, Kaohsiung, 802211, Taiwan
| | - Kuan-Lin Chen
- Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701401, Taiwan. .,Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701401, Taiwan. .,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701401, Taiwan.
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Vaskinn A, Engelstad KN, Torgalsbøen AK, Rund BR. Childhood trauma, social cognition and schizophrenia: Specific association between physical neglect and cognitive theory of mind in homicide offenders. Psychiatry Res 2021; 303:114093. [PMID: 34247060 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2021.114093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is associated with a small, but increased risk of violent behavior, including homicide. Violent individuals with schizophrenia have elevated rates of childhood trauma and substantial social cognitive impairments. The aim of this study was to examine if childhood trauma is related to social cognition in homicide offenders with schizophrenia. We recruited 26 individuals with schizophrenia sentenced to compulsory mental care for homicide/attempted homicide and 28 non-violent schizophrenia controls. They filled out the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), providing scores for physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect and emotional neglect. Social cognition was assessed with two measures of emotion processing (Emotion in Biological Motion, Pictures of Facial Affect) and two theory of mind (ToM) tests (Hinting Task, Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition: MASC). Spearman's rho correlation coefficients were computed, and significant results followed up with partial correlation analyses controlling for IQ. Three associations were statistically significant, all in the homicide group; between CTQ physical neglect and cognitive ToM assessed with Hinting Task and with MASC, and between CTQ emotional neglect and Hinting Task. Only the first remained significant after controlling for IQ, indicating a specific association between physical neglect and cognitive ToM in homicide offenders with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Vaskinn
- Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
| | | | | | - Bjørn Rishovd Rund
- Research Department, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Drammen, Norway; Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Konstantakopoulos G, Ioannidi N, Psarros C, Patrikelis P, Stefanatou P, Kravariti E. The impact of neurocognition on mentalizing in euthymic bipolar disorder versus schizophrenia. Cogn Neuropsychiatry 2020; 25:405-420. [PMID: 33050828 DOI: 10.1080/13546805.2020.1829579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Theory of mind (ToM) or mentalizing deficits have been found in schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD), but their relationships to patients' coexistent neurocognitive deficits are still unclear. The present study aimed to explore the possible differential involvement of neurocognitive deficits in ToM impairments in SZ and euthymic BD. Methods: Fifty-three euthymic patients with BD type I, 54 clinically stable patients with SZ, and 53 healthy participants were assessed with an advanced ToM task (Faux Pas Recognition Test) which measures cognitive and affective ToM components, and a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological measures. The three groups were matched for gender, age and education. Results: Patients with BD showed significant impairment, comparable to that in SZ, only in the cognitive facet of ToM, whereas SZ patients had significantly poorer performance than both BD patients and healthy participants in overall and affective ToM. In both SZ and euthymic BD, ToM performance was related to deficits in particular cognitive functions. After controlling for coexistent neurocognitive deficits, overall and affective ToM in SZ were still impaired whereas the cognitive ToM impairment in BD and SZ did not remained statistically significant. Conclusions: Our findings suggest a different profile of ToM deficits between SZ and BD and an independence of ToM dysfunction from concurrent neurocognitive deficits in SZ but not in BD.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Konstantakopoulos
- First Department of Psychiatry, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece.,Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Nikoleta Ioannidi
- First Department of Psychiatry, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Constantin Psarros
- First Department of Psychiatry, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Panayiotis Patrikelis
- Department of Neurosurgery, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Pentagiotissa Stefanatou
- First Department of Psychiatry, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Eugenia Kravariti
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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Vaskinn A, Melle I, Aas M, Berg AO. Sexual abuse and physical neglect in childhood are associated with affective theory of mind in adults with schizophrenia. SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH-COGNITION 2020; 23:100189. [PMID: 33134093 PMCID: PMC7586237 DOI: 10.1016/j.scog.2020.100189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Whereas childhood trauma is associated with reduced nonsocial cognition in schizophrenia, research on the relationship between childhood trauma and social cognition is limited and mixed. The aim of this study was to examine the association between childhood trauma and theory of mind (ToM) in persons with schizophrenia (n = 68) compared to healthy control participants (n = 70). Childhood trauma was assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), providing information on physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect and emotional neglect. ToM was indexed by the Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC), which yields scores for total, cognitive and affective ToM, and for three error types (overmentalizing, undermentalizing, no mentalizing). Persons with schizophrenia had elevated rates of childhood trauma and lower ToM scores than healthy controls. In the schizophrenia group, associations between sexual abuse and affective ToM was statistically significant. In regression analyses, physical neglect was found to be the strongest predictor of affective ToM. In healthy controls, childhood trauma was not associated with ToM. Follow-up analyses comparing individuals with/without clinically significant childhood trauma, confirmed the findings for the schizophrenia group. No causal inferences can be made in this cross-sectional study, but the results suggest an illness-specific association between both sexual abuse and physical neglect in childhood, and adult affective ToM in individuals with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Vaskinn
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingrid Melle
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Monica Aas
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Akiah Ottesen Berg
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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