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Lorenzetti V, Gaillard A, Thomson D, Englund A, Freeman TP. Effects of cannabinoids on resting state functional brain connectivity: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 145:105014. [PMID: 36563921 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.105014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis products are widely used for medical and non-medical reasons worldwide and vary in content of cannabinoids such as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Resting state functional connectivity offers a powerful tool to investigate the effects of cannabinoids on the human brain. We systematically reviewed functional neuroimaging evidence of connectivity during acute cannabinoid administration. A pre-registered (PROSPERO ID: CRD42020184264) systematic review of 13 studies comprising 318 participants (mean age of 25 years) was conducted and reported using the PRISMA checklist. During THC and THCv exposure vs placebo reduced connectivity with the NAcc was widely reported. Limited evidence shows that such effects are offset by co-administration of CBD. NAcc-frontal region connectivity was associated with intoxication levels. Cannabis intoxication vs placebo was associated with lower striatal-ACC connectivity. CBD and CBDv vs placebo were associated with both higher and lower connectivity between striatal-prefrontal/other regions. Overall, cannabis and cannabinoids change functional connectivity in the human brain during resting state as a function of the type of cannabinoid examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Lorenzetti
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Australia.
| | - Alexandra Gaillard
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Australia
| | - Diny Thomson
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Australia; Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Science, Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Australia
| | - Amir Englund
- Addictions Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Tom P Freeman
- Addiction and Mental Health Group, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Bath, UK
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2
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Antezana PE, Municoy S, Orive G, Desimone MF. Design of a New 3D Gelatin-Alginate Scaffold Loaded with Cannabis sativa Oil. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:4506. [PMID: 36365500 PMCID: PMC9658303 DOI: 10.3390/polym14214506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
There is an increasing medical need for the development of new materials that could replace damaged organs, improve healing of critical wounds or provide the environment required for the formation of a new healthy tissue. The three-dimensional (3D) printing approach has emerged to overcome several of the major deficiencies of tissue engineering. The use of Cannabis sativa as a therapy for some diseases has spread throughout the world thanks to its benefits for patients. In this work, we developed a bioink made with gelatin and alginate that was able to be printed using an extrusion 3D bioprinter. The scaffolds obtained were lyophilized, characterized and the swelling was assessed. In addition, the scaffolds were loaded with Cannabis sativa oil extract. The presence of the extract provided antimicrobial and antioxidant activity to the 3D scaffolds. Altogether, our results suggest that the new biocompatible material printed with 3D technology and with the addition of Cannabis sativa oil could become an attractive alternative to common treatments of soft-tissue infections and wound repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Edmundo Antezana
- Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco (IQUIMEFA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Junín 956, Buenos Aires 1113, Argentina
- NanoBioCel Research Group, School of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Sofía Municoy
- Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco (IQUIMEFA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Junín 956, Buenos Aires 1113, Argentina
| | - Gorka Orive
- NanoBioCel Research Group, School of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
- Bioaraba, NanoBioCel Research Group, 01009 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
- Biomedical Research Networking Centre in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Institute of Health Carlos III, Av Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- University Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Oral Implantology-UIRMI (UPV/EHU-Fundación Eduardo Anitua), 01007 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, The Academia, 20 College Road, Discovery Tower, Singapore 169856, Singapore
| | - Martín Federico Desimone
- Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco (IQUIMEFA), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Junín 956, Buenos Aires 1113, Argentina
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3
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A Meta-Analysis of fMRI Studies of Youth Cannabis Use: Alterations in Executive Control, Social Cognition/Emotion Processing, and Reward Processing in Cannabis Using Youth. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12101281. [PMID: 36291215 PMCID: PMC9599849 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12101281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Adolescent cannabis use (CU) is associated with adverse health outcomes and may be increasing in response to changing cannabis laws. Recent imaging studies have identified differences in brain activity between adult CU and controls that are more prominent in early onset users. Whether these differences are present in adolescent CU and relate to age/developmental stage, sex, or cannabis exposure is unknown. Methods: A systematic review and subsequent effect-size seed-based d mapping (SDM) meta-analysis were conducted to examine differences in blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) response during fMRI studies between CU and non-using typically developing (TD) youth. Supplemental analyses investigated differences in BOLD signal in CU and TD youth as a function of sex, psychiatric comorbidity, and the dose and severity of cannabis exposure. Results: From 1371 citations, 45 fMRI studies were identified for inclusion in the SDM meta-analysis. These studies compared BOLD response contrasts in 1216 CU and 1486 non-using TD participants. In primary meta-analyses stratified by cognitive paradigms, CU (compared to TD) youth showed greater activation in the rostral medial prefrontal cortex (rmPFC) and decreased activation in the dorsal mPFC (dmPFC) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) during executive control and social cognition/emotion processing, respectively. In meta-regression analyses and subgroup meta-analyses, sex, cannabis use disorder (CUD) severity, and psychiatric comorbidity were correlated with brain activation differences between CU and TD youth in mPFC and insular cortical regions. Activation differences in the caudate, thalamus, insula, dmPFC/dACC, and precentral and postcentral gyri varied as a function of the length of abstinence. Conclusions: Using an SDM meta-analytic approach, this report identified differences in neuronal response between CU and TD youth during executive control, emotion processing, and reward processing in cortical and subcortical brain regions that varied as a function of sex, CUD severity, psychiatric comorbidity, and length of abstinence. Whether aberrant brain function in CU youth is attributable to common predispositional factors, cannabis-induced neuroadaptive changes, or both warrants further investigation.
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Wall MB, Freeman TP, Hindocha C, Demetriou L, Ertl N, Freeman AM, Jones AP, Lawn W, Pope R, Mokrysz C, Solomons D, Statton B, Walker HR, Yamamori Y, Yang Z, Yim JL, Nutt DJ, Howes OD, Curran HV, Bloomfield MA. Individual and combined effects of cannabidiol and Δ 9-tetrahydrocannabinol on striato-cortical connectivity in the human brain. J Psychopharmacol 2022; 36:732-744. [PMID: 35596578 PMCID: PMC9150138 DOI: 10.1177/02698811221092506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the two major constituents of cannabis with contrasting mechanisms of action. THC is the major psychoactive, addiction-promoting, and psychotomimetic compound, while CBD may have opposite effects. The brain effects of these drugs alone and in combination are poorly understood. In particular, the striatum is implicated in the pathophysiology of several psychiatric disorders, but it is unclear how THC and CBD influence striato-cortical connectivity. AIMS To examine effects of THC, CBD, and THC + CBD on functional connectivity of striatal sub-divisions (associative, limbic and sensorimotor). METHOD Resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) was used across two within-subjects, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies, with a unified analysis approach. RESULTS Study 1 (N = 17; inhaled cannabis containing 8 mg THC, 8 mg THC + 10 mg CBD or placebo) showed strong disruptive effects of both THC and THC + CBD on connectivity in the associative and sensorimotor networks, but a specific effect of THC in the limbic striatum network which was not present in the THC + CBD condition. In Study 2 (N = 23, oral 600 mg CBD, placebo), CBD increased connectivity in the associative network, but produced only relatively minor disruptions in the limbic and sensorimotor networks. OUTCOMES THC strongly disrupts striato-cortical networks, but this effect is mitigated by co-administration of CBD in the limbic striatum network. Oral CBD administered has a more complex effect profile of relative increases and decreases in connectivity. The insula emerges as a key region affected by cannabinoid-induced changes in functional connectivity, with potential implications for understanding cannabis-related disorders, and the development of cannabinoid therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Wall
- Invicro London, London, UK.,Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK.,Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Tom P Freeman
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK.,Addiction and Mental Health Group (AIM), Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Chandni Hindocha
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Lysia Demetriou
- Invicro London, London, UK.,Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Natalie Ertl
- Invicro London, London, UK.,Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Abigail M Freeman
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Will Lawn
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rebecca Pope
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Claire Mokrysz
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Ben Statton
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, London, UK
| | - Hannah R Walker
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
| | - Yumeya Yamamori
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
| | - Zixu Yang
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jocelyn Ll Yim
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
| | - David J Nutt
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Oliver D Howes
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, London, UK.,Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.,South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - H Valerie Curran
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK
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Thomson H, Labuschagne I, Greenwood LM, Robinson E, Sehl H, Suo C, Lorenzetti V. Is resting-state functional connectivity altered in regular cannabis users? A systematic review of the literature. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:1191-1209. [PMID: 34415377 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05938-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Regular cannabis use has been associated with brain functional alterations within frontal, temporal, and striatal pathways assessed during various cognitive tasks. Whether such alterations are consistently reported in the absence of overt task performance needs to be elucidated to uncover the core neurobiological mechanisms of regular cannabis use. OBJECTIVES We aim to systematically review findings from studies that examine spontaneous fluctuations of brain function using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in cannabis users versus controls, and the association between rsFC and cannabis use chronicity, mental health symptoms, and cognitive performance. METHODS We conducted a PROSPERO registered systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and searched eight databases. RESULTS Twenty-one studies were included for review. Samples comprised 1396 participants aged 16 to 42 years, of which 737 were cannabis users and 659 were controls. Most studies found greater positive rsFC in cannabis users compared to controls between frontal-frontal, fronto-striatal, and fronto-temporal region pairings. The same region pairings were found to be preliminarily associated with varying measures of cannabis exposure. CONCLUSIONS The evidence to date shows that regular cannabis exposure is consistently associated with alteration of spontaneous changes in Blood Oxygenation Level-Dependent signal without any explicit cognitive input or output. These findings have implications for interpreting results from task-based fMRI studies of cannabis users, which may additionally tax overlapping networks. Future longitudinal rsFC fMRI studies are required to determine the clinical relevance of the findings and their link to the chronicity of use, mental health, and cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Thomson
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, Australian Catholic University, 17 Young Street, Fitzroy, VIC, 3065, Australia
| | - Izelle Labuschagne
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, Australian Catholic University, 17 Young Street, Fitzroy, VIC, 3065, Australia
| | - Lisa-Marie Greenwood
- Research School of Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,The Australian Centre for Cannabinoid Clinical and Research Excellence (ACRE), New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Emily Robinson
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, Australian Catholic University, 17 Young Street, Fitzroy, VIC, 3065, Australia
| | - Hannah Sehl
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, Australian Catholic University, 17 Young Street, Fitzroy, VIC, 3065, Australia
| | - Chao Suo
- BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Biomedical Imaging Facility, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Valentina Lorenzetti
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, Australian Catholic University, 17 Young Street, Fitzroy, VIC, 3065, Australia.
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Morie KP, Potenza MN. A Mini-Review of Relationships Between Cannabis Use and Neural Foundations of Reward Processing, Inhibitory Control and Working Memory. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:657371. [PMID: 33967859 PMCID: PMC8100188 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.657371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabis is commonly used, and use may be increasing in the setting of increasing legalization and social acceptance. The scope of the effects of cannabis products, including varieties with higher or lower levels of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabidiol (CBD), on domains related to addictive behavior deserves attention, particularly as legalization continues. Cannabis use may impact neural underpinnings of cognitive functions linked to propensities to engage in addictive behaviors. Here we consider these neurocognitive processes within the framework of the dual-process model of addictions. In this mini-review, we describe data on the relationships between two main constituents of cannabis (THC and CBD) and neural correlates of reward processing, inhibitory control and working memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen P. Morie
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Marc N. Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, United States
- Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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Allick A, Park G, Kim K, Vintimilla M, Rathod K, Lebo R, Nanavati J, Hammond CJ. Age- and Sex-Related Cortical Gray Matter Volume Differences in Adolescent Cannabis Users: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Voxel-Based Morphometry Studies. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:745193. [PMID: 34925090 PMCID: PMC8671465 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.745193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Adolescent-onset cannabis use is rising in the era of marijuana legalization. Recent imaging studies have identified neuroanatomical differences between adult cannabis users and controls that are more prominent in early-onset users. Other studies point to sex-dependent effects of cannabis. Methods: A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines and subsequent effect-size seed-based d mapping (SDM) meta-analyses were conducted to investigate relationships between age (across the 12-to-21-year-old developmental window), sex, and gray matter volume (GMV) differences between cannabis using (CU) and typically developing (TD) youth. Results: Our search identified 1,326 citations, 24 of which were included in a qualitative analysis. A total of 6 whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies comparing regional GMV between 357 CU [mean (SD) age = 16.68 (1.28); 71% male] and 404 TD [mean (SD) age = 16.77 (1.36); 63% male] youth were included in the SDM-meta-analysis. Meta-analysis of whole-brain VBM studies identified no regions showing significant GMV difference between CU and TD youth. Meta-regressions showed divergent effects of age and sex on cortical GMV differences in CU vs. TD youth. Age effects were seen in the superior temporal gyrus (STG), with older-aged CU youth showing decreased and younger-aged CU youth showing increased STG GMV compared to age-matched TD youth. Parallel findings in the STG were also observed in relation to duration of CU (years) in supplemental meta-regressions. Regarding sex effects, a higher proportion of females in studies was associated with increased GMV in the middle occipital gyrus in CU vs. TD youth. Conclusions: These findings suggest that GMV differences between CU and TD youth, if present, are subtle, and may vary as a function of age, cumulative cannabis exposure, and sex in young people. Whether age- and sex-related GMV differences are attributable to common predispositional factors, cannabis-induced neuroadaptive changes, or both warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliyah Allick
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Grace Park
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Kwon Kim
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Michelle Vintimilla
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Krutika Rathod
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Rachael Lebo
- Welch Medical Library, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,I.D. Weeks Library, Health Sciences Department, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, United States
| | - Julie Nanavati
- Welch Medical Library, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Christopher J Hammond
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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