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Deckers C, Karbalaei R, Miles NA, Harder EV, Witt E, Harris EP, Reissner K, Wimmer ME, Bangasser DA. Early resource scarcity causes cortical astrocyte enlargement and sex-specific changes in the orbitofrontal cortex transcriptome in adult rats. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 29:100607. [PMID: 38304302 PMCID: PMC10831308 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Astrocyte morphology affects function, including the regulation of glutamatergic signaling. This morphology changes dynamically in response to the environment. However, how early life manipulations alter adult cortical astrocyte morphology is underexplored. Our lab uses brief postnatal resource scarcity, the limited bedding and nesting (LBN) manipulation, in rats. We previously found that LBN augments maternal behaviors and promotes later resilience to adult addiction-related behaviors, reducing impulsivity, risky decision-making, and morphine self-administration. These behaviors rely on glutamatergic transmission in the medial orbitofrontal (mOFC) and medial prefrontal (mPFC) cortex. Here we tested whether LBN changed astrocyte morphology in the mOFC and mPFC of adult rats using a novel viral approach that, unlike traditional markers, fully labels astrocytes. Prior exposure to LBN causes an increase in the surface area and volume of astrocytes in the mOFC and mPFC of adult males and females relative to control-raised rats. We next used bulk RNA sequencing of OFC tissue to assess transcriptional changes that could increase astrocyte size in LBN rats. LBN caused mainly sex-specific changes in differentially expressed genes. Pathway analysis revealed that OFC glutamatergic signaling is altered by LBN in males and females, but the gene changes in that pathway differed across sex. This may represent a convergent sex difference where glutamatergic signaling, which affects astrocyte morphology, is altered by LBN via sex-specific mechanisms. Collectively, these studies highlight that astrocytes may be an important cell type that mediates the effect of early resource scarcity on adult brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Deckers
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Reza Karbalaei
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Nylah A. Miles
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Eden V. Harder
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Emily Witt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Erin P. Harris
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Kathryn Reissner
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mathieu E. Wimmer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Debra A. Bangasser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA
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2
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Zacharopoulos G, Sella F, Emir U, Cohen Kadosh R. Dissecting the chain of information processing and its interplay with neurochemicals and fluid intelligence across development. eLife 2023; 12:e84086. [PMID: 37772958 PMCID: PMC10541179 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous research has highlighted the role of glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in perceptual, cognitive, and motor tasks. However, the exact involvement of these neurochemical mechanisms in the chain of information processing, and across human development, is unclear. In a cross-sectional longitudinal design, we used a computational approach to dissociate cognitive, decision, and visuomotor processing in 293 individuals spanning early childhood to adulthood. We found that glutamate and GABA within the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) explained unique variance in visuomotor processing, with higher glutamate predicting poorer visuomotor processing in younger participants but better visuomotor processing in mature participants, while GABA showed the opposite pattern. These findings, which were neurochemically, neuroanatomically and functionally specific, were replicated ~21 mo later and were generalized in two further different behavioral tasks. Using resting functional MRI, we revealed that the relationship between IPS neurochemicals and visuomotor processing is mediated by functional connectivity in the visuomotor network. We then extended our findings to high-level cognitive behavior by predicting fluid intelligence performance. We present evidence that fluid intelligence performance is explained by IPS GABA and glutamate and is mediated by visuomotor processing. However, this evidence was obtained using an uncorrected alpha and needs to be replicated in future studies. These results provide an integrative biological and psychological mechanistic explanation that links cognitive processes and neurotransmitters across human development and establishes their potential involvement in intelligent behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Zacharopoulos
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- School of Psychology, Swansea UniversitySwanseaUnited Kingdom
| | - Francesco Sella
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Centre for Mathematical Cognition, Loughborough UniversityLoughboroughUnited Kingdom
| | - Uzay Emir
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- School of Health Sciences, College of Health and Human Sciences, Purdue UniversityWest LafayetteUnited States
| | - Roi Cohen Kadosh
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- School of Psychology, University of SurreyGuildfordUnited Kingdom
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3
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Deckers C, Karbalaei R, Miles NA, Harder EV, Witt E, Harris EP, Reissner K, Wimmer ME, Bangasser DA. Early resource scarcity causes cortical astrocyte enlargement and sex-specific changes in the orbitofrontal cortex transcriptome in adult rats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.01.547315. [PMID: 37425737 PMCID: PMC10327175 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.01.547315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Astrocyte morphology affects function, including the regulation of glutamatergic signaling. This morphology changes dynamically in response to the environment. However, how early life manipulations alter adult cortical astrocyte morphology is underexplored. Our lab uses brief postnatal resource scarcity, the limited bedding and nesting (LBN) manipulation, in rats. We previously found that LBN promotes later resilience to adult addiction-related behaviors, reducing impulsivity, risky decision-making, and morphine self-administration. These behaviors rely on glutamatergic transmission in the medial orbitofrontal (mOFC) and medial prefrontal (mPFC) cortex. Here we tested whether LBN changed astrocyte morphology in the mOFC and mPFC of adult rats using a novel viral approach that, unlike traditional markers, fully labels astrocytes. Prior exposure to LBN causes an increase in the surface area and volume of astrocytes in the mOFC and mPFC of adult males and females relative to control-raised rats. We next used bulk RNA sequencing of OFC tissue to assess transcriptional changes that could increase astrocyte size in LBN rats. LBN caused mainly sex-specific changes in differentially expressed genes. However, Park7, which encodes for the protein DJ-1 that alters astrocyte morphology, was increased by LBN across sex. Pathway analysis revealed that OFC glutamatergic signaling is altered by LBN in males and females, but the gene changes in that pathway differed across sex. This may represent a convergent sex difference where glutamatergic signaling, which affects astrocyte morphology, is altered by LBN via sex-specific mechanisms. Collectively, these studies highlight that astrocytes may be an important cell type that mediates the effect of early resource scarcity on adult brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Deckers
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia
| | - Reza Karbalaei
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia
| | - Nylah A Miles
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia
| | - Eden V Harder
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Emily Witt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Erin P Harris
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta
| | - Kathryn Reissner
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Mathieu E Wimmer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia
| | - Debra A Bangasser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta
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4
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Bouchard AE, Dickler M, Renauld E, Lenglos C, Ferland F, Rouillard C, Leblond J, Fecteau S. Cognitive and clinical correlates of resting-state fMRI in adults with gambling disorder. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2023; 68:30-32. [PMID: 36640731 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2022.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Amy E Bouchard
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, 2325 rue de l'Université, Quebec City, Quebec G1V 0A6, Canada; CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec City, Quebec G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Maya Dickler
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, 2325 rue de l'Université, Quebec City, Quebec G1V 0A6, Canada; CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec City, Quebec G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Emmanuelle Renauld
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, 2325 rue de l'Université, Quebec City, Quebec G1V 0A6, Canada; CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec City, Quebec G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Christophe Lenglos
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, 2325 rue de l'Université, Quebec City, Quebec G1V 0A6, Canada; CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec City, Quebec G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Francine Ferland
- Centre de Réadaptation en Dépendance du Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, 2525 Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec City, Quebec G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Claude Rouillard
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, 2325 rue de l'Université, Quebec City, Quebec G1V 0A6, Canada; Axe Neurosciences, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Quebec City, Quebec G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Jean Leblond
- Centre interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Réadaptation et Intégration Sociale, 525 boul. Wilfrid-Hamel, Quebec City, Quebec G1M 2S8, Canada
| | - Shirley Fecteau
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, 2325 rue de l'Université, Quebec City, Quebec G1V 0A6, Canada; CERVO Brain Research Centre, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Quebec City, Quebec G1J 2G3, Canada.
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Weinsztok S, Brassard S, Balodis I, Martin LE, Amlung M. Delay Discounting in Established and Proposed Behavioral Addictions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:786358. [PMID: 34899207 PMCID: PMC8661136 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.786358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Steep delay discounting, or a greater preference for smaller-immediate rewards over larger-delayed rewards, is a common phenomenon across a range of substance use and psychiatric disorders. Non-substance behavioral addictions (e.g., gambling disorder, internet gaming disorder, food addiction) are of increasing interest in delay discounting research. Individual studies have reported steeper discounting in people exhibiting various behavioral addictions compared to controls or significant correlations between discounting and behavioral addiction scales; however, not all studies have found significant effects. To synthesize the published research in this area and identify priorities for future research, we conducted a pre-registered systematic review and meta-analysis (following PRISMA guidelines) of delay discounting studies across a range of behavioral addiction categories. The final sample included 78 studies, yielding 87 effect sizes for the meta-analysis. For studies with categorical designs, we found statistically significant, medium-to-large effect sizes for gambling disorder (Cohen’s d = 0.82) and IGD (d = 0.89), although the IGD effect size was disproportionately influenced by a single study (adjusted d = 0.53 after removal). Categorical internet/smartphone studies were non-significant (d = 0.16, p = 0.06). Aggregate correlations in dimensional studies were statistically significant, but generally small magnitude for gambling (r = 0.22), internet/smartphone (r = 0.13) and food addiction (r = 0.12). Heterogeneity statistics suggested substantial variability across studies, and publication bias indices indicated moderate impact of unpublished or small sample studies. These findings generally suggest that some behavioral addictions are associated with steeper discounting, with the most robust evidence for gambling disorder. Importantly, this review also highlighted several categories with notably smaller effect sizes or categories with too few studies to be included (e.g., compulsive buying, exercise addiction). Further research on delay discounting in behavioral addictions is warranted, particularly for categories with relatively few studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Weinsztok
- Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Sarah Brassard
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, United States
| | - Iris Balodis
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, United States
| | - Laura E Martin
- Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States.,Department of Population Health, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States.,Hoglund Biomedical Imaging Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Michael Amlung
- Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States.,Department of Applied Behavioral Science, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
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6
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Jones JA, Zuhlsdorff K, Dalley JW. Neurochemical substrates linked to impulsive and compulsive phenotypes in addiction: A preclinical perspective. J Neurochem 2021; 157:1525-1546. [PMID: 33931861 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Drug compulsion manifests in some but not all individuals and implicates multifaceted processes including failures in top-down cognitive control as drivers for the hazardous pursuit of drug use in some individuals. As a closely related construct, impulsivity encompasses rash or risky behaviour without foresight and underlies most forms of drug taking behaviour, including drug use during adverse emotional states (i.e., negative urgency). While impulsive behavioural dimensions emerge from drug-induced brain plasticity, burgeoning evidence suggests that impulsivity also predates the emergence of compulsive drug use. Although the neural substrates underlying the apparently causal relationship between trait impulsivity and drug compulsion are poorly understood, significant advances have come from the interrogation of defined limbic cortico-striatal circuits involved in motivated behaviour and response inhibition, together with chemical neuromodulatory influences from the ascending neurotransmitter systems. We review what is presently known about the neurochemical mediation of impulsivity, in its various forms, and ask whether commonalities exist in the neurochemistry of compulsive drug-motivated behaviours that might explain individual risk for addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolyon A Jones
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Jeffrey W Dalley
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Psychiatry, Hershel Smith Building for Brain and Mind Sciences, Cambridge, UK
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7
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Weidacker K, Johnston SJ, Mullins PG, Boy F, Dymond S. Neurochemistry of response inhibition and interference in gambling disorder: a preliminary study of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA+) and glutamate-glutamine (Glx). CNS Spectr 2021:1-11. [PMID: 33752778 DOI: 10.1017/s1092852921000316] [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] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurobehavioral research on the role of impulsivity in gambling disorder (GD) has produced heterogeneous findings. Impulsivity is multifaceted with different experimental tasks measuring different subprocesses, such as response inhibition and distractor interference. Little is known about the neurochemistry of inhibition and interference in GD. METHODS We investigated inhibition with the stop signal task (SST) and interference with the Eriksen Flanker task, and related performance to metabolite levels in individuals with and without GD. We employed magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to record glutamate-glutamine (Glx/Cr) and inhibitory, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA+/Cr) levels in the dorsal ACC (dACC), right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), and an occipital control voxel. RESULTS We found slower processing of complex stimuli in the Flanker task in GD (P < .001, η2p = 0.78), and no group differences in SST performance. Levels of dACC Glx/Cr and frequency of incongruent errors were correlated positively in GD only (r = 0.92, P = .001). Larger positive correlations were found for those with GD between dACC GABA+/Cr and SST Go error response times (z = 2.83, P = .004), as well as between dACC Glx/Cr and frequency of Go errors (z = 2.23, P = .03), indicating general Glx-related error processing deficits. Both groups expressed equivalent positive correlations between posterror slowing and Glx/Cr in the right dlPFC (GD: r = 0.74, P = .02; non-GD: r = .71, P = .01). CONCLUSION Inhibition and interference impairments are reflected in dACC baseline metabolite levels and error processing deficits in GD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Paul G Mullins
- School of Psychology, Bangor University, Bangor, United Kingdom
| | - Frederic Boy
- School of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
- School of Management, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Dymond
- School of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, Reykjavík University, Reykjavík, Iceland
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Mestre-Bach G, Fernández-Aranda F, Jiménez-Murcia S, Potenza MN. Decision-Making in Gambling Disorder, Problematic Pornography Use, and Binge-Eating Disorder: Similarities and Differences. Curr Behav Neurosci Rep 2021; 7:97-108. [PMID: 33585161 DOI: 10.1007/s40473-020-00212-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review The present review attempts to provide a comprehensive and critical overview of the neurocognitive mechanisms of gambling disorder (GD), problematic pornography use (PPU) and binge-eating disorder (BED), focusing specifically on decision-making processes. Recent findings GD, PPU and BED have been associated with decision-making impairments both under risk and ambiguity. Features such as intelligence, emotions, social variables, cognitive distortions, comorbidities, or arousal may condition decision-making processes in these individuals. Summary Impairments in decision-making seem to be a shared transdiagnostic feature of these disorders We also hypothesized the EG relative to the NEG group would demonstrate weaker relationships between problem-gambling severity and health/functioning measures (e.g., substance use) and gambling behaviors (e.g., more time spent gambling) given that EG would account for some of the variance in the relationships between ARPG and these measures. However, there is varying support for the degree to which different features may affect decision-making. Therefore, the study of decision-making processes can provide crucial evidence for understanding addictions and other disorders with addiction-like symptomatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma Mestre-Bach
- Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, La Rioja, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry. Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain.,Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Fernández-Aranda
- Department of Psychiatry. Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain.,Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Susana Jiménez-Murcia
- Department of Psychiatry. Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain.,Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT, USA.,Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, New Haven, CT, USA.,Yale University School of Medicine, Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT, USA.,Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA
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