Systematic culture of central catheters and infections related to catheters in a neonatal intensive care unit: an observational study.

Systematic culture of the tip of central lines is performed in many neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) to guide any subsequent antibiotic therapy. The clinical relevance of this procedure is debated, given the significant bacterial contamination during its removal. We aimed to describe infections related to catheters and assess the usefulness of central catheter systematic cultures for probabilistic antibiotic therapy in cases of suspicion of catheter-related infections in a NICU. A retrospective study in a NICU included all newborn patients hospitalized with a central catheter, between January 2018, and June 2019. The main outcome measures were bacterial catheter colonization, catheter-related infection rate, and simulation-based approach to antibiotic prescription. Three hundred and seventy-five newborns, with 634 central catheters were included. There were 273 (43%) catheters that were colonized by at least one microorganism. There were 183 cases of suspected sepsis, with 31 infections definitively related to the catheter. In our simulation antibiotic prescription approach, there was no significant difference in terms of the efficacy toward the microorganism(s) involved between the probabilistic antibiotic therapies proposed by the experts and those ultimately prescribed. Performing a catheter culture only if catheter-related infection is suspected could be an alternative to routine screening.

Self-assessment scale of auditory verbal hallucinations (SAVH): A novel tool for patients with schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: A scale for self-assessment of auditory verbal hallucinations (SAVH) was developed for patients, and this study aimed to validate the scale by investigating its psychometric properties. METHODS: Forty one patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders (DSM-5) self-assessed their hallucinations using nine SAVH questions. Each question was scored from 0 to 5, indicating the severity of the symptoms. Patients were also evaluated with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Auditory Hallucination Rating Scale (AHRS), and Birchwood Insight Scale (BIS). The psychometric properties of the SAVH were assessed by the face, internal consistency, construct, convergent and discriminant validities. RESULTS: SAVH scores were used to examine the psychometric properties. Cronbach's α and Guttman's Lambda-6 were 0.67 and 0.73 respectively. Significant correlations were observed between SAVH and AHRS total scores, as well as BPRS hallucinatory behavior subscores. No significant correlations were found between total SAVH scores and (i) levels of insight or (ii) negative BPRS subscores. Factor analysis on SAVH revealed three factors accounting for 59.3 % of the variance. Most patients found the questions clear, appropriate, and of adequate length. CONCLUSIONS: SAVH demonstrated good psychometric properties, suggesting its utility in assessing auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH). This self-assessment could be valuable in evaluating AVH treatment efficacy, monitoring AVH, and empowering patients.

Esketamine-induced post-traumatic stress disorder flashbacks during treatment-resistant depression indication: is it just a side effect?

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe and frequent affection that is highly comorbid to major depressive disorder. Comorbid PTSD and depression are usually treatment-resistant, with a high risk of functional impairment and suicide. Esketamine nasal spray is a recent validated treatment for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), but its efficacy on comorbid TRD-PTSD remains insufficiently documented. In particular, flashbacks can occur during esketamine administration and their influence on clinical outcomes is unknown. Objectives: Our main objective was to describe esketamine-induced traumatic flashbacks and their impact on clinical trajectories within a sample of patients with comorbid TRD-PTSD. Methods: We retrospectively collected clinical data of patients receiving esketamine nasal spray for TRD with comorbid PTSD who experienced at least one flashback of their trauma during esketamine sessions across 11 psychiatric departments. Results: Between February 2020 and March 2023, 22 adult patients with TRD met inclusion criteria. In sixteen patients (72.7%) flashbacks disappeared as the sessions progressed. In six patients (27.3%), esketamine treatment was stopped because of persistent flashbacks. When esketamine was continued, clinical response was observed both for depression and PTSD (depression response rate: 45.5% and remission rate: 22.7%; PTSD response rate: 45.5% and remission: 18.2%). Limitations: The retrospective design of the study and the absence of a comparator group are the main limitations of our study. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the occurrence of esketamine-induced traumatic flashbacks does not hinder clinical response. On the contrary, when managed appropriately and combined with targeted psychotherapy, it could even contribute to positive outcomes.

A digital tool for self-assessment of auditory verbal hallucinations in schizophrenia.

Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) are experienced by approximately 70 % of patients with schizophrenia and are frequently associated with high levels of distress. Therefore, alleviating hallucinations is an important therapeutic challenge. However, for prescribing a personalized treatment adapted to the patient, an accurate and detailed assessment of AVH is necessary. Until now, there have been no self-evaluations; instead, only scales based on observer ratings have been used to assess AVH. Nevertheless, self-assessments may enhance patient symptom awareness and increase their insight and involvement in the treatment, promoting empowerment (Eisen et al., 2000). In this context, a mobile app called MIMO was devised in order to monitor AVHs assessed by the patients themselves. This app, including the Self-assessment of Auditory verbal Hallucinations (SAVH-https://sns-dollfus.com/), was devised as an ecological momentary assessment tool. The present study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of this app.

Effects of the combination of neurostimulation techniques in patients with mental disorders: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: despite years of development, response to neurostimulation remains partial and variable. Combining techniques could improve clinical efficacy and tolerance. OBJECTIVE: to examine the literature on the effects of combining several neurostimulation techniques in patients with mental disorders. METHODS: this systematic review follows the PRISMA guidelines RESULTS: 23 studies were included. The most studied combination was electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) along with another neurostimulation technique in depression. The RCTs that showed a significant effect targeted the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex with high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, before ECT. Combining neurostimulation techniques is a promising field of research.

Real world transcranial magnetic stimulation for major depression: A multisite, naturalistic, retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: In 2008, the U.S. FDA approved rTMS as a treatment against medication-resistant depression. However, real-world rTMS outcomes remain understudied. This study investigates how rTMS for depression is delivered in routine clinical practice in France, and measures its effectiveness as well as its moderators. METHODS: Five centers provided retrospective data on patients who were treated with rTMS for treatment-resistant depression from January 2015 to December 2020. Patients were assessed twice using a hetero-questionnaire, with baseline and immediate post-treatment assessments. We conducted univariate analyses to study which factors were significantly associated with rTMS effectiveness. We then included age, gender, and significant factors in a multivariate model. RESULTS: We collected data from 435 patients with a mean age of 51.27 (14.91): 66 % were female, and 26 % suffered from bipolar depression. Stimulation was delivered using four different stimulation parameters: 1 Hz (7 % of the individuals), 10 Hz (43 %), 20 Hz (12 %), and 50 Hz (intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation, iTBS) (38 %). The mean improvement of depressive symptoms was 33 % (p < 0.001, effect-size: 0.79). Response and remission rates were of 31 % and 22.8 %, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, improvement in depressive symptoms was associated with higher baseline symptoms. CONCLUSION: This is one of the largest studies that investigates, with careful clinician-rated scales by trained psychiatrists, the effect of rTMS in naturalistic settings. Repetitive TMS appears to be effective in routine clinical practice, although its efficacy could be improved by analyzing predictors of response, as well as personalized targeting of specific brain areas.

The priming effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on clinical response to electroconvulsive therapy in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the most effective treatments for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). However, due to response delay and cognitive impairment, ECT remains an imperfect treatment. Compared to ECT, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is less effective at treating severe depression, but has the advantage of being quick, easy to use, and producing almost no side effects. In this study, our objective was to assess the priming effect of rTMS sessions before ECT on clinical response in patients with TRD. METHODS: In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial, 56 patients with TRD were assigned to active or sham rTMS before ECT treatment. Five sessions of active/sham neuronavigated rTMS were administered over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (20 Hz, 90% resting motor threshold, 20 2 s trains with 60-s intervals, 800 pulses/session) before ECT (which was active for all patients) started. Any relative improvements were then compared between both groups after five ECT sessions, in order to assess the early response to treatment. RESULTS: After ECT, the active rTMS group exhibited a significantly greater relative improvement than the sham group [43.4% (28.6%) v. 25.4% (17.2%)]. The responder rate in the active group was at least three times higher. Cognitive complaints, which were assessed using the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire, were higher in the sham rTMS group compared to the active rTMS group, but this difference was not corroborated by cognitive tests. CONCLUSIONS: rTMS could be used to enhance the efficacy of ECT in patients with TRD. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02830399.

Local Alterations of Left Arcuate Fasciculus and Transcallosal White Matter Microstructure in Schizophrenia Patients with Medication-resistant Auditory Verbal Hallucinations: A Pilot Study.

Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) in schizophrenia (SZ) have been associated with abnormalities of the left arcuate fasciculus and transcallosal white matter projections linking homologous language areas of both hemispheres. While most studies have used a whole-tract approach, here we focused on analyzing local alterations of the above-mentioned pathways in SZ patients suffering medication-resistant AVH. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was estimated along the left arcuate fasciculus and interhemispheric projections of the rostral and caudal corpus callosum. Then, potential associations between white matter tracts and SZ symptoms were explored by correlating local site-by-site FA values and AVH severity estimated via the Auditory Hallucinations Rating Scale (AHRS). Compared to a sample of healthy controls, SZ patients displayed lower FA values in the rostral portion of the left arcuate fasciculus, near the frontal operculum, and in the left and right lateral regions of the rostral portion of the transcallosal pathways. In contrast, SZ patients showed higher FA values than healthy controls in the medial portion of the latter transcallosal pathway and in the midsagittal section of the interhemispheric auditory pathway. Finally, significant correlations were found between local FA values in the left arcuate fasciculus and the severity of the AVH's attentional salience. Contributing to the study of associations between local white matter alterations of language networks and SZ symptoms, our findings highlight local alterations of white matter integrity in these pathways linking language areas in SZ patients with AVH. We also hypothesize a link between the left arcuate fasciculus and the attentional capture of AVH.

Efficacy and Safety of Intranasal Esketamine in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression and Comorbid Chronic Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Open-Label Single-Arm Pilot Study.

Introduction: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is more likely to resist to usual treatment when it is associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Capitalizing on the effect of ketamine in both treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and PTSD, we conducted a study in order to assess the efficacy of intranasal (IN) Esketamine in patients having TRD with comorbid PTSD. Materials and Methods: In this open-label, single arm, retrospective pilot study, 11 patients were treated with IN Esketamine (56 or 84 mg) with a longitudinal follow-up of 6 months. IN Esketamine was administered twice weekly during the first month, once weekly during the second month, and then once every 1 or 2 weeks. Patients were assessed with Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Patient Health Questionnaire 9 items, Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), and Clinical Global Impression-Suicide Scale (CGI-SS). Results: We included 9 women and 2 men (mean age 47.3 ± 11.1 years). The mean (SD) MADRS scores decreased significantly from 38.6 (6.4) at baseline to 18.2 (10.03) after 6 months of IN Esketamine; 7 patients were responders and 3 patients were in remission. The percentage of patients who were moderately to severely suicidal declined from 63.6% at baseline to 27.3% after 1 month of IN Esketamine sessions. No serious adverse reactions were observed. Conclusion: This study reports the outcomes of 11 severely ill patients with comorbid TRD and PTSD after IN Esketamine treatment. Esketamine significantly improved depression symptoms, suggesting that it is likely to be a treatment of choice in this specific population.

A Retrospective Study of Postictal Suppression during Electroconvulsive Therapy.

BACKGROUND: electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most effective treatment in treatment-resistant depression (TRD), but its response remains partial. Identifying useful indicators to guide decision making for treatment and improve clinical response remains a major issue. The objective of the present retrospective study was to determine if clinical response-early (after 5 ECT sessions) or longer-term (after 12 ECT sessions)-was associated with postictal suppression during the first ECT course and/or with postictal suppression frequency during the whole ECT course. METHODS: in a retrospective study, the data of 42 patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression and receiving at least 5 ECT sessions were collected. Two sessions per week of bitemporal brief-pulse ECT sessions were administered to patients. Each of the electroencephalography (EEG) recordings were assessed to determine the presence of postictal suppression. RESULTS: the postictal suppression from the first ECT session predicted a better long-term clinical response (after 12 ECT sessions), but not early clinical response (after only 5 ECT sessions). The postictal suppression frequency was associated with neither the short- nor the long-term clinical response. In addition, postictal suppression and short-term cognitive performances were not associated. CONCLUSIONS: this EEG indicator is clinically useful if it appears in the first ECT sessions, but it is no longer relevant in the following sessions.

Prospective survey of psychiatric patients during the first confinement of the COVID 2019 pandemic.

In the early steps of an emerging infectious disease epidemic such as Covid-19, uncertainties about the nature of the disease, its spread and impact can lead to emotional distress. In addition, the studies on confinement during an epidemic have shown a psychological impact of this measure on the feelings of anxiety and depression in the general population. METHOD: We assessed the psychological health of 550 patients followed up in outpatient psychiatry, via a pandemic-related teleconsultation during the first confinement period between March and June 2020. Patients were assessed at the beginning and at the end of the confinement on their personal situation, social relationships, professional activity, anxiety and mood. We also evaluated patients' symptomatology and their quality of life. RESULTS: Patients were well informed about Covid-19 via the media and complied with the confinement and barrier procedures. They appreciated the phone-calls and the teleconsultation follow-up. A small proportion of patients were completely socially isolated mainly at the beginning of the confinement (10%). There was no difference between the beginning and the end of the confinement in terms of depressive and anxiety symptoms or quality of life. The women were more anxious and depressed than men. Only smoking was significantly increased during this period. CONCLUSION: The expected and feared health catastrophe in psychiatry during this first phase of the pandemic in 2020 did not occur. Will the psychiatric wave appear in the "post- pandemic", the future will tell.

Effect of Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation on the Neural Processing of Emotional Stimuli in Healthy Volunteers.

BACKGROUND: Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) is a form of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation that has shown to be effective in treatment-resistant depression. Through studying the effect of iTBS on healthy subjects, we wished to attain a greater understanding of its impact on the brain. Our objective was to assess whether 10 iTBS sessions altered the neural processing of emotional stimuli, mood and brain anatomy in healthy subjects. METHODS: In this double-blind randomized sham-controlled study, 30 subjects received either active iTBS treatment (10 sessions, two sessions a day) or sham treatment over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Assessments of mood, structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and functional MRI (fMRI) were performed before and after iTBS sessions. During the fMRI, three different categories of stimuli were presented: positive, negative and neutral photographs. RESULTS: This study showed that, during the presentation of negative stimuli (compared with neutral stimuli), 10 sessions of iTBS increased activity in the left anterior insula. However, iTBS did not induce any change in mood, regional gray matter volume or cortical thickness. CONCLUSIONS: iTBS modifies healthy subjects' brain activity in a key region that processes emotional stimuli. (AFSSAPS: ID-RCB 2010A01032-37).

[Electroconvulsive therapy during the perinatal period: Representations of mental health professionals]. / L'électroconvulsivothérapie en période périnatale : représentations des professionnels de santé mentale.

INTRODUCTION: Psychiatric disorders are common in peripartum and are associated with adverse outcomes for mother and fetus. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the most effective and safe options to treat severe mental illness, including during the perinatal period. Nevertheless, it remains underutilized during this period, possibly due to negative representations. Research has been carried out on the representations and attitudes of caregivers towards ECT, but the specificities of these attitudes during peripartum have not been explored. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the attitudes towards ECT during the peripartum among psychiatrists, nurses, social workers and psychologists. The primary objective was to compare the score of favorability for ECT during peripartum according to the profession. The secondary objective was to highlight other factors involved in the favorability for ECT in peripartum. METHODS: We investigated mental health professionals' attitudes sending by e-mail an anonymous questionnaire in five hospitals in France. The questionnaire was composed of demographic details, one scale about the attitudes towards ECT (the Questionnaire on Attitudes and Knowledge of ECT (QuAKE)) used in several studies; in this questionnaire, a specific part for perinatal period has been added for our study, both using a Likert scale. The completion time for this online questionnaire was approximately 5 to 7minutes. A score of favorability for ECT in general and in peripartum was established for each participant. These scores represented the percentage of positive responses to favorable items and of negative responses to unfavorable items towards ECT. Comparison of the QuAKE answers with a sample of English caregivers in 2001 has been determined with χ2 tests. A Bonferroni correction was applied due to the large number of tests performed. Factors involved in the favorability for ECT have been studied with Pearson correlation, Kruskall-Wallis and Wilcoxon tests. RESULTS: Two hundred and twenty one professionals (80 psychiatrists, 78 nurses, 19 social workers and 44 psychologists) were included in the study. Their answers to the QuAKE questionnaire were comparable or more favorable to ECT than the English sample answered in 2001. The perinatal part of questionnaire had a good internal consistency (Cronbach coefficient: 0,91). Participants were less favorable to ECT in perinatal period (favorability score: 44.2) than in general (63.6). They more often responded « uncertain ¼ to the perinatal questionnaire (44,9 % against 18.4 % for the ECT in general; W=19931,5; P<0,001). The favorability for ECT in general and during peripartum were statistically associated with profession (psychiatrists were more favorable), specific training and experience in ECT. Gender, perinatal specialization, age, and the number of years in professional service were not associated with favorability for ECT in general and during peripartum in this study. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we have found that profession, training and experience in ECT are linked to the attitudes towards ECT, including in the perinatal period. It is necessary to inform professionals about the possibility of prescribing ECT in the perinatal period by training them in the specificities of pregnancy.

A prospective multicenter assessor-blinded randomized controlled study to compare the efficacy of short versus long protocols of electroconvulsive therapy as an augmentation strategy to clozapine in patients with ultra-resistant schizophrenia (SURECT study).

BACKGROUND: Although clozapine is the most effective antipsychotic drug for treatment-resistant schizophrenia, it leads to a poor or partial response in 40 to 70% of patients. Augmentation of clozapine with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a highly effective and relatively safe treatment for these clozapine-resistant patients. However, parameters are not yet well specified, such as the optimal number of sessions, their frequency, and the relevance of maintenance ECT. Our objective is to compare the efficacy and tolerance between two protocols of combined ECT and clozapine treatment in patients with ultra-resistant schizophrenia (URS): a 6-month protocol (short protocol with 20 ECT sessions) and a 12-month protocol (long protocol with 40 ECT sessions). METHODS: Sixty-four patients with schizophrenia with persistent psychotic symptoms despite clozapine treatment will be enrolled in a prospective multicentric assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial. Patients will be randomly assigned to the short or the long protocol. The main outcome is the response rate assessed by the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS) 3 months after the end of the treatment in patients following the long protocol compared to those following the short protocol. The response was defined as a 30% reduction on the PANSS baseline. Clinical assessments (PANSS, BPRS, HAMD-21, YMRS, CGI, GAF, Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS), and Subjective Scale to Investigate Cognition in Schizophrenia (SSTICS)) and plasma clozapine concentration will be performed at baseline and at 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, and 15 months. Neuropsychological measures (MMSE, RL/RI-16, Doors test, D2 Test of Attention, Copy of the Rey-Osterrieth complex figure) will be performed at baseline and at 6 and 15 months. DISCUSSION: The aims of this research are to optimize protocols of combined ECT with clozapine in patients with URS and to offer specific recommendations for these patients' care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03542903 . Registered on May 31, 2018. Id RCB: 2017-A02657-46.

Intermittent Theta-Burst Stimulation Over the DorsoLateral PreFrontal Cortex (DLPFC) in Healthy Subjects Produces No Cumulative Effect on Cortical Excitability.

Background: Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (iTBS) is a design of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) and could be a candidate to replace rTMS in the treatment of depression, thanks to its efficacy, shorter duration, and ease of use. The antidepressant mechanism of iTBS, and whether this mechanism is mediated by a modulation of cortical excitability, remains unknown. Methods: Using a randomized double-blind, sham-controlled trial, 30 healthy volunteers received either iTBS or a sham treatment targeting the left DorsoLateral PreFrontal Cortex (L-DLPFC), twice a day over 5 consecutive days. Cortical excitability was measured before and after the 5 days of stimulation. Results: No difference in cortical excitability was observed between active or sham iTBS. Conclusion: Our study does not support any effect on cortical excitability of repetitive iTBS targeting the L-DLPFC.

Development and Preliminary Validation of the Pedophilic Fantasies, Desires, and Activities Questionnaire.

Although sexual interest in children is a risk factor for recidivism of sexual offenses against children, there is a dearth of measures for assessing its current level in patients with pedophilic disorder. The objective was to develop the Pedophilic Fantasies, Desires, and Activities Questionnaire (PFDAQ) to assess the current level of sexual interest in patients with pedophilic disorder. In total, 57 patients with pedophilic disorder and 53 controls were recruited. In addition to the PFDAQ, participants were presented with other measures of sexual interest. PFDAQ scores were significantly higher in patients than in controls and were correlated with other measures of sexual interest. Three PFDAQ scores were correlated with a phallometric index of preference for children. These results suggest that the PFDAQ may be valid and potentially useful for assessing the current level of pedophilic attraction.

Effects of a life-skills-based prevention program on self-esteem and risk behaviors in adolescents: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Risk behaviors among young people are a major social and public health issue. This study aims to assess the impact of a life-skills-based prevention program (called Mission Papillagou) on self-esteem, well-being, and risk behaviors among adolescents. METHOD: In a two-arm controlled study involving 520 school pupils aged between 10 and 15 years old, participants taking part in the prevention program (the Papillagou group) were compared to pupils who did not take part (the control group). Two assessment sessions were performed, one at baseline, and one after either the Mission Papillagou program (Papillagou group) or usual lessons (control group). Participants self-reported on their self-esteem, well-being, behaviors, interests and opinions. RESULTS: The Mission Papillagou program significantly improved Self-Esteem scores (ηρ2 = .035). Well-being (Cramér's V = .14) and mood ("feeling of depression": Cramér's V = .503; "feeling hopelessness about the future": Cramér's V = .357; "waking up at night": Cramér's V = .343) also improved in the Papillagou group compared to the control group. Regarding risk behaviors, the prevention program produced a decrease in the frequency of insults (Cramér's V = .267) and rumor-spreading (Cramér's V = .440), and a change of opinion toward the possibility of smoking an electronic cigarette in the future (Cramér's V = .372). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that life-skills-based risk prevention programs are effective.

A Prospective Open-Label Pilot Study of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in High-Functioning Autistic Patients with a Dysexecutive Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Executive functions (EF) are often impaired in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Such dysfunctions are associated with anxiety, depression, and a lack of autonomy. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to enhance EF in healthy adults and clinical populations and to improve working memory - a component of the EF - in adults with high-functioning ASD (HF-ASD). We hypothesized that tDCS could improve the EF of HF-ASD patients. Such enhancement could improve their adaptive behaviors. METHOD: Eight patients with HF-ASD received 10 consecutive cathodal tDCS sessions (2 mA) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (F3) for 15 min each in an open trial. EF (with the Stroop test, Trail Making Test [TMT] A and B, Modified Wisconsin Card Sorting Test [mWCST], and Verbal Fluency Test) and behavioral dysexecutive syndrome (with the Behavioral Dysexecutive Syndrome Inventory and the Repetitive and Restricted Behaviour scale) were assessed before and 10 days after treatment. RESULTS: This study showed significant improvement in initiation (TMT-A time: p = 0.018) and cognitive flexibility (TMT-B time: p = 0.009; letter Verbal Fluency Test: p = 0.017; mWCST total errors: p = 0.028) after tDCS. Regarding behavior, the hypoactivity of the patients improved, as well as their repetitive and restrictive behaviors. In addition, this noninvasive neurostimulation technique was well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Flexibility and initiation are the most impaired EF in autism. These are promising results which justify a randomized and placebo-controlled study in a wider population. If these results were confirmed by a randomized controlled trial, tDCS could be an easy and well-tolerated adjunctive treatment aiming to improve the quality of life and the autonomy of ASD patients.

Gender-Related Brain Activations during an Emotional Task: An fMRI Study.

BACKGROUND: Women have twice the rate of depression and anxiety disorders as men. Some studies suggest that this could be caused by women's greater sensitivity to negative emotions. Few brain imaging studies have compared the brain activity of men to women during a presentation of emotional stimuli. Our objective was to investigate brain activations in men and women during an emotional task. We hypothesized that the pattern of brain activations would differ by gender and valence of the stimuli. METHODS: We conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging study in 30 healthy participants (15 men and 15 women). Positive, negative and neutral photographs were presented to the subjects. Participants subjectively rated the valence and intensity of the stimuli. RESULTS: No significant gender-by-category interaction effect was observed for the intensity or valence of the stimuli. We found that, during the presentation of negative photographs, there was a higher activity in women's right fusiform gyrus compared to men's. CONCLUSION: Given the involvement of the fusiform gyrus in anxiety disorders, this study yields promising findings in order to better understand women's vulnerability to anxiety disorders.