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Omoumi S, Rashidy-Pour A, Seyedinia SA, Tarahomi P, Vafaei AA, Raise-Abdullahi P. Corticosterone injection into the infralimbic prefrontal cortex enhances fear memory extinction: Involvement of GABA receptors and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Physiol Behav 2023; 265:114156. [PMID: 36918107 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the interactive effect of glucocorticoid and Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the Infralimbic (IL) cortex on fear extinction in rats' auditory fear conditioning task (AFC). Animals received 3 conditioning trial tones (conditioned stimulus, 30 s, 4 kHz, 80 dB) co-terminated with a footshock (unconditioned stimulus, 0.8 mA, 1 s). Extinction testing was conducted over 3 days (Ext 1-3) after conditioning. Intra-IL injection of corticosterone (CORT, 20 ng/0.3 µl/side) was performed 15 min before the first extinction trial (Ext 1) which attenuated auditory fear expression in subsequent extinction trials (Ext 1-3), demonstrating fear memory extinction enhancement. Co-injection of the GABAA agonist muscimol (250 ng/0.3 µl/side) or the GABAB agonist baclofen (250 ng/0.3 µl/side) 15 min before corticosterone, did not significantly affect the facilitative effects of corticosterone on fear extinction. However, co-injection of the GABAA antagonist bicuculline (BIC, 100 ng/0.3 µl/side) or the GABAB antagonist CGP35348 (CGP, 100 ng/0.3 µl/side) 15 min before corticosterone, blocked the facilitative effects of corticosterone on fear extinction. Moreover, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and cAMP response element-binding (CREB) in the IL were examined by Western blotting analysis after the first extinction trial (Ext 1) in some groups. Intra-IL injection of corticosterone increased the ERK activity but not CREB. Co-injection of the bicuculline or CGP35348 blocked the enhancing effect of corticosterone on ERK expression in the IL. Glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) activation in the IL cortex by corticosterone increased ERK activity and facilitated fear extinction. GABAA or GABAB antagonists decreased ERK activity and inhibited corticosterone's effect. GRs and GABA receptors in the IL cortex jointly modulate the fear extinction processes via the ERK pathway. This pre-clinical animal study may highlight GRs and GABA interactions in the IL cortex modulating fear memory processes in fear-related disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Samira Omoumi
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Ali Rashidy-Pour
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Seyed Ali Seyedinia
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran; Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Parnia Tarahomi
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran; Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Abbas Ali Vafaei
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
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Biddle M, Knox D. The role of estrogen receptor manipulation during traumatic stress on changes in emotional memory induced by traumatic stress. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023. [PMID: 36879072 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06342-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Traumatic stress leads to persistent fear, which is a core feature of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Women are more likely than men to develop PTSD after trauma exposure, which suggests women are differentially sensitive to traumatic stress. However, it is unclear how this differential sensitivity manifests. Cyclical changes in vascular estrogen release could be a contributing factor where levels of vascular estrogens (and activation of estrogen receptors) at the time of traumatic stress alter the impact of traumatic stress. METHODS To examine this, we manipulated estrogen receptors at the time of stress and observed the effect this had on fear and extinction memory (within the single prolonged stress (SPS) paradigm) in female rats. In all experiments, freezing and darting were used to measure fear and extinction memory. RESULTS In Experiment 1, SPS enhanced freezing during extinction testing, and this effect was blocked by nuclear estrogen receptor antagonism prior to SPS. In Experiment 2, SPS decreased conditioned freezing during the acquisition and testing of extinction. Administration of 17β-estradiol altered freezing in control and SPS animals during the acquisition of extinction, but this treatment had no effect on freezing during the testing of extinction memory. In all experiments, darting was only observed to footshock onset during fear conditioning. CONCLUSION The results suggest multiple behaviors (or different behavioral paradigms) are needed to characterize the nature of traumatic stress effects on emotional memory in female rats and that nuclear estrogen receptor antagonism prior to SPS blocks SPS effects on emotional memory in female rats.
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Rosa J, de Carvalho Myskiw J, Fiorenza NG, Furini CRG, Sapiras GG, Izquierdo I. Hippocampal cholinergic receptors and the mTOR participation in fear-motivated inhibitory avoidance extinction memory. Behav Brain Res 2023; 437:114129. [PMID: 36179804 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Evidence has demonstrated the hippocampal cholinergic system and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) participation during the memory formation of aversive events. This study assessed the role of these systems in the hippocampus for the extinction memory process by submitting male Wistar rats to fear-motivated step-down inhibitory avoidance (IA). The post-extinction session administration of the nicotinic and muscarinic cholinergic receptor antagonists, mecamylamine and scopolamine, respectively, both at doses of 2 µg/µl/side, and rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor (0.02 µg/µl/side), into the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus, impaired the IA extinction memory. Furthermore, the nicotinic and muscarinic cholinergic receptor agonists, nicotine and muscarine, respectively, had a dose-dependent effect on the IA extinction memory when administered intra-CA1, immediately after the extinction session. Nicotine (0.6 µg/µl/side) and muscarine (0.02 µg/µl/side), respectively, had no effect, while the higher doses (6 and 2 µg/µl/side, respectively) impaired the IA extinction memory. Interestingly, the co-administration of muscarine at the lower dose blocked the impairment that was induced by rapamycin. This effect was not observed when nicotine at the lower dose was co-administered. These results have demonstrated the participation of the cholinergic receptors and mTOR in the hippocampus for IA extinction, and that the cholinergic agonists had a dose-dependent effect on the IA extinction memory. This study provides insights related to the behavioural aspects and the neurobiological properties underlying the early stage of fear-motivated IA extinction memory consolidation and suggests that there is hippocampal muscarinic receptor participation independent of mTOR in this memory process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Rosa
- Memory Center, Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Ipiranga 6690, Floor 2, 90610-600 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo (USP), Bandeirantes 3900, 14049-900 Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil.
| | - Jociane de Carvalho Myskiw
- Memory Center, Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Ipiranga 6690, Floor 2, 90610-600 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; National Institute of Translational Neuroscience (INNT), National Research Council of Brazil, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Department of Biophysics, Institute of Biosciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Bento Gonçalves 9500, Building 43422, Room 208 A, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Natalia Gindri Fiorenza
- Memory Center, Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Ipiranga 6690, Floor 2, 90610-600 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Branch Ceara, 60760-000 Eusebio, CE, Brazil
| | - Cristiane Regina Guerino Furini
- Memory Center, Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Ipiranga 6690, Floor 2, 90610-600 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; National Institute of Translational Neuroscience (INNT), National Research Council of Brazil, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Laboratory of Cognition and Memory Neurobiology, Brain Institute, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Ipiranga 6690, 3rd Floor, 90610-000 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Gerson Guilherme Sapiras
- Memory Center, Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Ipiranga 6690, Floor 2, 90610-600 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Clinical Hospital of Passo Fundo (HCPF), Tiradentes 295, 99010-260 Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil
| | - Ivan Izquierdo
- Memory Center, Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Ipiranga 6690, Floor 2, 90610-600 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; National Institute of Translational Neuroscience (INNT), National Research Council of Brazil, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Diniz CRAF, da Silva LA, Domingos LB, Sonego AB, Moraes LRB, Joca S. Fluoxetine acts concomitantly on dorsal and ventral hippocampus to Trk-dependently modulate the extinction of fear memory. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2022; 113:110451. [PMID: 34619303 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hippocampus can be divided along its longitudinal axis into dorsal and ventral parts, which play different roles in modulating the behavioral responses to stress. However, it is not clear whether the hippocampal subregions could also differently modulate the effect of antidepressant drugs. Since fluoxetine (FLX) effect on extinction of aversive memory is well known to depend on hippocampal BDNF levels, we hypothesized that the hippocampal subregions might play different roles in fluoxetine efficacy in decreasing fear response. METHOD Wistar rats were fear-cued conditioned and treated chronically with FLX to subsequently investigate their extinction memory. BDNF levels were assessed separately in the dorsal (dHC) and ventral (vHC) hippocampus in animals chronically treated with FLX. An independent group received K252a (a functional Trk blocker) infusion into the dHC or vHC to assay its interaction with FLX treatment along the fear response. Next, BDNF was directly infused into either the dHC or vHC to the behavior be compared with those induced by chronic FLX treatment. Finally, FLX effect on c-Fos expression was evaluated also considering the dHC and vHC apart, along with subareas of amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex. RESULTS BDNF levels were increased in the vHC after acute FLX, and in the dHC after chronic FLX treatment. FLX effect on fear response was blocked by K252a administration into either dHC or vHC, after the extinction protocol. BDNF administration into the dHC increased fear response, however its administration into the vHC induced an opposite effect. Besides, a negative correlation between the fear response and c-Fos expression in the dHC CA3/CA1 and vHC CA1/DG was observed after chronic FLX treatment. CONCLUSION Both dHC and vHC are essential for the Trk-dependent effect of FLX on extinction memory, although a discrepancy in the fear response was observed with the infusion of BDNF into the dHC or vHC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Sâmia Joca
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campus USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14040-9034, Brazil; Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
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Miedl SF, Rattel JA, Franke LK, Blechert J, Kronbichler M, Spoormaker VI, Wilhelm FH. Neural Processing During Fear Extinction Predicts Intrusive Memories. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging 2020; 5:403-411. [PMID: 32111578 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2019.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Deficient extinction learning has been suggested as an important mechanism involved in the etiology of posttraumatic stress disorder. A key feature of posttraumatic stress disorder, reexperiencing the trauma in form of intrusions, may be linked to deficient extinction learning. This link is investigated in a novel, functional magnetic resonance imaging-compatible fear conditioning procedure that uses trauma films. Based on previous results, we expected deficient fear extinction indexed by exaggerated responding in the anterior insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex to predict subsequent intrusions. METHODS A total of 58 healthy participants underwent acquisition and extinction learning with faces as conditioned stimuli (CS) and highly aversive 16-second films depicting interpersonal violence as unconditioned stimuli. During the subsequent 3 days, participants reported intrusive memories on their smartphone. RESULTS Successful fear acquisition was evidenced by differential (CS+ > CS-) activity (threat cues associated with trauma films > cues paired only with neutral films) of a widespread network, including the anterior insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, whereas extinction was characterized exclusively by differential anterior insula activity. Differential conditioned responding during late extinction in the anterior insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex was positively related to intrusive memory frequency independent of unconditioned stimuli responding. Exploratory analysis also revealed intrusion sensitivity of the hippocampus, rostral anterior cingulate cortex, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex, among others. CONCLUSIONS Results support the role of extinction learning in intrusive memory formation; a failure to uncouple conditioned emotional responding from external threat cues was associated with subsequent intrusive memories, representing a potential risk marker for developing posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology after trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan F Miedl
- Clinical Stress and Emotion Laboratory, Division of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Julina A Rattel
- Clinical Stress and Emotion Laboratory, Division of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Laila K Franke
- Clinical Stress and Emotion Laboratory, Division of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Jens Blechert
- Clinical Stress and Emotion Laboratory, Division of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Martin Kronbichler
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; Neuroscience Institute, Christian Doppler Clinic, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Victor I Spoormaker
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Frank H Wilhelm
- Clinical Stress and Emotion Laboratory, Division of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
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Brom M, Laan E, Everaerd W, Spinhoven P, Trimbos B, Both S. d-Cycloserine reduces context specificity of sexual extinction learning. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2015; 125:202-10. [PMID: 26456134 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2015.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2015] [Revised: 09/07/2015] [Accepted: 09/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND d-Cycloserine (DCS) enhances extinction processes in animals. Although classical conditioning is hypothesized to play a pivotal role in the aetiology of appetitive motivation problems, no research has been conducted on the effect of DCS on the reduction of context specificity of extinction in human appetitive learning, while facilitation hereof is relevant in the context of treatment of problematic reward-seeking behaviors. METHODS Female participants were presented with two conditioned stimuli (CSs) that either predicted (CS+) or did not predict (CS-) a potential sexual reward (unconditioned stimulus (US); genital vibrostimulation). Conditioning took place in context A and extinction in context B. Subjects received DCS (125mg) or placebo directly after the experiment on day 1 in a randomized, double-blind, between-subject fashion (Placebo n=31; DCS n=31). Subsequent testing for CS-evoked conditioned responses (CRs) in both the conditioning (A) and the extinction context (B) took place 24h later on day 2. Drug effects on consolidation were then assessed by comparing the recall of sexual extinction memories between the DCS and the placebo groups. RESULTS Post learning administration of DCS facilitates sexual extinction memory consolidation and affects extinction's fundamental context specificity, evidenced by reduced conditioned genital and subjective sexual responses, relative to placebo, for presentations of the reward predicting cue 24h later outside the extinction context. CONCLUSIONS DCS makes appetitive extinction memories context-independent and prevents the return of conditioned response. NMDA receptor glycine site agonists may be potential pharmacotherapies for the prevention of relapse of appetitive motivation disorders with a learned component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirte Brom
- Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, The Netherlands; Leiden University Medical Centre, Department of Psychosomatic Gynaecology & Sexology, VRSP, Rijnsburgerweg 10, Zone PG4-Z, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Ellen Laan
- Department of Sexology and Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Walter Everaerd
- Department Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Weesperplein 4, 1018 XA Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Philip Spinhoven
- Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Baptist Trimbos
- Leiden University Medical Centre, Department of Gynaecology, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Stephanie Both
- Leiden University Medical Centre, Department of Psychosomatic Gynaecology & Sexology, VRSP, Rijnsburgerweg 10, Zone PG4-Z, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
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Barker JM, Taylor JR, De Vries TJ, Peters J. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and addiction: Pathological versus therapeutic effects on drug seeking. Brain Res 2014; 1628:68-81. [PMID: 25451116 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2014.10.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2014] [Revised: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 10/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Many abused drugs lead to changes in endogenous brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in neural circuits responsible for addictive behaviors. BDNF is a known molecular mediator of memory consolidation processes, evident at both behavioral and neurophysiological levels. Specific neural circuits are responsible for storing and executing drug-procuring motor programs, whereas other neural circuits are responsible for the active suppression of these "seeking" systems. These seeking-circuits are established as associations are formed between drug-associated cues and the conditioned responses they elicit. Such conditioned responses (e.g. drug seeking) can be diminished either through a passive weakening of seeking- circuits or an active suppression of those circuits through extinction. Extinction learning occurs when the association between cues and drug are violated, for example, by cue exposure without the drug present. Cue exposure therapy has been proposed as a therapeutic avenue for the treatment of addictions. Here we explore the role of BDNF in extinction circuits, compared to seeking-circuits that "incubate" over prolonged withdrawal periods. We begin by discussing the role of BDNF in extinction memory for fear and cocaine-seeking behaviors, where extinction circuits overlap in infralimbic prefrontal cortex (PFC). We highlight the ability of estrogen to promote BDNF-like effects in hippocampal-prefrontal circuits and consider the role of sex differences in extinction and incubation of drug-seeking behaviors. Finally, we examine how opiates and alcohol "break the mold" in terms of BDNF function in extinction circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline M Barker
- Department of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Jane R Taylor
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Taco J De Vries
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jamie Peters
- Department of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
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