Structural Covariance Networks in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Multisite ENIGMA-PGC Study
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
Abstract
Abstract Introduction Cortical thickness (CT) and surface area (SA) are established biomarkers of brain pathology in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Structural covariance networks (SCN) constructed from CT and SA may represent developmental associations, or unique interactions between brain regions, possibly influenced by a common causal antecedent. The ENIGMA-PGC PTSD Working Group aggregated PTSD and control subjects’ data from 29 cohorts in five countries (n=3439). Methods Using Destrieux Atlas, we built SCNs and compared centrality measures between PTSD subjects and controls. Centrality is a graph theory measure derived using SCN. Results Notable nodes with higher CT-based centrality in PTSD compared to controls were left fusiform gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, and right inferior temporal gyrus. We found sex-based centrality differences in bilateral frontal lobe regions, left anterior cingulate, left superior occipital cortex and right ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). Comorbid PTSD and MDD showed higher CT-based centrality in the right anterior cingulate gyrus, right parahippocampal gyrus and lower SA-based centrality in left insular gyrus. Conclusion Unlike previous studies with smaller sample sizes (≤318), our study found differences in centrality measures using a sample size of 3439 subjects. This is the first cross-sectional study to examine SCN interactions with age, sex, and comorbid MDD. Although limited to group level inferences, centrality measures offer insights into a node’s relationship to the entire functional connectome unlike approaches like seed-based connectivity or independent component analysis. Nodes having higher centrality have greater structural or functional connections, lending them invaluable for translational treatments like neuromodulation.
Authors 96
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Duke University · Durham VA Medical Center
Affiliation as printed
Duke-UNC Brain Imaging and Analysis Center (BIAC)
Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
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Boston University · VA Boston Healthcare System
Affiliation as printed
Biomedical Genetics, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
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Duke University · Durham VA Medical Center
Affiliation as printed
Duke-UNC Brain Imaging and Analysis Center (BIAC)
Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
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Duke University · Durham VA Medical Center
Affiliation as printed
Duke-UNC Brain Imaging and Analysis Center (BIAC)
Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
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University of Southern California
Affiliation as printed
Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA
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Affiliation as printed
TBI and Concussion Center, Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Affiliation as printed
TBI and Concussion Center, Department of Neurology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Radboud University Nijmegen · Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam · Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging
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Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Donders Center for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam
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Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam · Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
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Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Arq Psychotrauma Expert Group · Amsterdam Neuroscience · Amsterdam Public Health
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ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre, Diemen, The Netherlands
Amsterdam Neuroscience & Amsterdam Public Health Research Institutes, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam · Amsterdam Neuroscience · Amsterdam Public Health
Affiliation as printed
Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam Neuroscience & Amsterdam Public Health Research Institutes, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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University of Southern California
Affiliation as printed
Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA
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Affiliation as printed
Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Duke University · Durham VA Medical Center
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Duke-UNC Brain Imaging and Analysis Center (BIAC)
Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
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Affiliation as printed
University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
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University Medical Center Charite, Berlin, Germany
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Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
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University Medical Center Charite, Berlin, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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University of California San Diego
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Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Affiliation as printed
Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
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Steven J.A. van der Werff Aachen
Leiden University Medical Center
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Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
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Nic J.A. van der Wee Aachen
Leiden University Medical Center
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Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
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Robert R. J. M. Vermeiren Aachen
Leiden University Medical Center
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Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
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Western University · Heidelberg University · Central Institute of Mental Health · Medizinische Fakultät Mannheim
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Department of Psychiatry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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Heidelberg University · Central Institute of Mental Health · Medizinische Fakultät Mannheim
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Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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Harvard University · McLean Hospital
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McLean Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
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Harvard University · McLean Hospital
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McLean Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
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Harvard University · McLean Hospital
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McLean Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
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Harvard University · McLean Hospital
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McLean Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology, Boston, MA, USA
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Boston University · VA Boston Healthcare System
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Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
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Harvard University · McLean Hospital
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McLean Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
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Harvard University · McLean Hospital
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McLean Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
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Harvard University · McLean Hospital
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McLean Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
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University Hospital Münster, Germany
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University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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The University of Sydney · Westmead Institute for Medical Research
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Brain Dynamics Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Chinese Academy of Sciences · Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Chinese Academy of Sciences · Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Chinese Academy of Sciences · Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Universidad de Deusto · Ghent University
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Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Department of Personality, Psychological Assessment and Treatment, University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center · University of Illinois Chicago · Jesse Brown VA Medical Center
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Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
Mental Health Service Line, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
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University of Illinois Chicago
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Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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Department of Psychiatry, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
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Department of Psychiatry, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
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Department of Psychiatry, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
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University Medical Center Utrecht
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University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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University Medical Center Utrecht
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University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
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VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
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Sinai Centrum and VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Center for Brain and Behavior Research, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA. 20
Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
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University of South Dakota · University of Otago
Affiliation as printed
Brain Health Research Centre, Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
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Center for Brain and Behavior Research, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA. 20
Department of Psychology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
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Department of Psychology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
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Affiliation as printed
Departments of Radiology, Psychiatry, and Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
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Federal Aviation Administration · University of South Dakota · Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
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Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, US Federal Aviation Administration, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
Department of Psychology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
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Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
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Affiliation as printed
Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
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University of Minnesota · Minneapolis VA Health Care System
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Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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University of Minnesota · Minneapolis VA Health Care System
Affiliation as printed
Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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University of Southern California
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Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA
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Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Affiliation as printed
Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
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Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
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University Medical Center Charite, Berlin, Germany
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Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
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University of California San Diego
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Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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University of California San Diego
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Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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University of California San Diego
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Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Harvard University · McLean Hospital
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McLean Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
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Harvard University · McLean Hospital
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McLean Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
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Institute of Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience, University of Münster
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University of California, Irvine
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Clinical Translational Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA, 92617, USA
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Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
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Department of Psychiatry, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
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Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
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University of Wisconsin–Madison
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University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma & Acute Care Surgery; Comprehensive Injury Center, Medical College of Wisconsin
Comprehensive Injury Center, Medical College of Wisconsin
Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma & Acute Care Surgery
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Department of Psychology, Marquette University
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University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
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Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
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Washington University in St. Louis
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Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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