Virtual brain twins: from basic neuroscience to clinical use

Virtual brain twins are personalized, generative and adaptive brain models based on data from an individual's brain for scientific and clinical use. After a description of the key elements of virtual brain twins, we present the standard model for personalized whole-brain network models. The personalization is accomplished using a subject's brain imaging data by three means: (1) assemble cortical and subcortical areas in the subject-specific brain space; (2) directly map connectivity into the brain models, which can be generalized to other parameters; and (3) estimate relevant parameters through model inversion, typically using probabilistic machine learning. We present the use of personalized whole-brain network models in healthy ageing and five clinical diseases: epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and psychiatric disorders. Specifically, we introduce spatial masks for relevant parameters and demonstrate their use based on the physiological and pathophysiological hypotheses. Finally, we pinpoint the key challenges and future directions.

[Sensory regulation disorders in child psychiatry]

INTRODUCTION

The processing of sensory information determines the development and growth of a child's abilities. Dysfunction in the processing of sensory stimuli can affect a child's behavior and can disrupt development. Sensory Regulation Disorders are frequently associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with the DSM-5 even including it as a diagnostic criterion. However, they are also observed in other neurodevelopmental disorders. At present, the frequency of Sensory Regulation Disorders in children consulting child psychiatry has never been evaluated, although it seems to be a population at risk.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the frequency of sensory regulation disorders in children between 3 and 6 years old who first consult a child psychiatrist in Marseille. To determine whether certain reasons for consultation are correlated with the presence of sensory regulation disorders.

METHODS

A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted for four months in Marseille. Sensory regulation disorders were assessed by the second version of Dunn's short sensory profile.

RESULTS

Fifty-eight patients were included. A significant difference was found between the frequency of SRT in our primary child psychiatry population and the general population. Subgroup analyses according to the reason for consultation showed that there would be more SRT in the Motor Instability/Inattention, Conduct Disorder and Socialization Disorder subgroups.

CONCLUSION

We observed a higher frequency of SRT in the child psychiatry consultation population. SRT could explain, or at least partly participate in, the children's symptomatology. The results are in favor of an early detection of SRT in the population of children consulting child psychiatry. The evaluation of the sensory profiles of these children allows a better understanding of the child's functioning and an adjustment of the intervention and support strategies proposed to the family.

Information overload in the context of COVID-19 pandemic: A repeated cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

To assess the psychometric properties of the Coronavirus Information Overload scale (CovIO) and explore relationships between CovIO, its predictors and several health behaviours related to the COVID-19 pandemic, using Cancer Information Overload (CIO) scale results as a reference for comparison.

METHODS

2003 participants representative of the French adult population answered a self-administered questionnaire over two waves of polling (N_{1(June 2020)}= 1003, N_{2(January 2021)}= 1000). Respondents were randomized to fill CovIO or CIO scale. Psychometric properties of scales were evaluated with Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Predictors were assessed using multivariate linear regression.

RESULTS

CovIO scale showed satisfactory psychometric properties (α=0.86, ω=0.86, RMSEA=0.050) without any measurement invariance issue. CovIO increased between waves of sampling and was significantly linked to education, health literacy and trust in institutions among other variables. A negative relationship between information overload and preventive behaviours was also observed.

CONCLUSION

The CovIO scale is a valid tool for assessing COVID-19 information overload. The dynamical formation of information overload and links with theorised predictors, especially, health literacy are confirmed.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Longitudinal designs could help better understand the potential detrimental effect of information overload and improving public health campaigns. Interventions to reduce the degree of overload are needed.

Cancer information overload: Association between a brief version of the CIO scale and multiple cancer risk management behaviours

OBJECTIVES

To demonstrate the best psychometric properties of the revised 5-item Cancer Information Overload (CIO) scale over the 10- and 8-item versions, for both English and French native speakers, and to explore the relationships between CIO and several cancer risk management behaviours in a large sample of caregivers, cancer survivors and healthy subjects.

METHODS

2809 participants (2568 from France, 241 from Australia) from two cancer survivor networks answered a self-administered questionnaire. After assessing the psychometric properties we studied the impact of CIO on health behaviours using multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

Internal consistency assessment and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) showed satisfactory results (α = 0.87 and 0.83, ω = 0.87 and 0.83, RMSEA = 0.078 and 0.081 for the 8-item and 5-item versions respectively), as well as multi-group CFA where measurement invariance was partial for one item only in each version. CIO was independently associated with smoking, sunburns, and rare skin checks, but not with alcohol misuse.

CONCLUSION

The 5-item version of the CIO scale showed adequate psychometric properties and discriminant association with multiple prevention behaviours.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The 5-item CIO scale is valid and can help push research forward in the domain of disease prevention and message acceptance. Its role in clinical practice remains to be determined.

Cancer information overload and multiple prevention behaviors

Background

Many people feel overwhelmed by the increasing amount of cancer-related material available in the information environment. Our aims was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the brief version of the cancer information overload (CIO) scale and to examine the association between CIO and multiple cancer prevention behaviors.

Methods

A large survey using a self-administered online questionnaire was proposed to all adult members of the Seintinelles, a French national non-profit organization. The psychometric properties of the CIO scale were evaluated. Measurement invariance across French and English languages was studied using an additional sample of 224 Australian cancer survivors from Register4. We also collected functional, communicative, and critical health literacy (FCCHL), deprivation (EPICES index), current smoking, alcohol misuse, frequent sunburns, and rare skin self-examination.

Results

Between June 16th and 30th 2016, 2 363 French participants answered the online questionnaire. The five-item CIO scale demonstrated the best balance between psychometric properties and number of items. It showed satisfactory internal consistency and adequate fit. No measurement invariance issue was found across age, gender, education level, and language groups.

CIO was increased among people with higher deprivation, lower education and a cancer information avoidant profile. In multivariate analyses, CIO was associated with tobacco use (OR = 1.05, 95%CI [1.00-1.10]), rare skin checks (OR = 1.05 [1.01-1.08]) and frequent sunburns (OR = 1.04 [1.01-1.07]), but not with alcohol misuse.

Conclusions

The 5-item CIO scale is ready to be used in French and English-speaking countries. The links observed between CIO and multiple prevention behaviors encourage further research in order to better characterize the psycho-cognitive and environmental phenomena at play. Efforts are needed to communicate adequately and empower citizens to limit the growing burden of cancer.

Key messages

The 5-item CIO scale is ready to be used in French and English-speaking countries. Efforts are needed to communicate adequately and empower citizens to limit the growing burden of cancer.

Stereotaxic cytology of brain tumors. Review of an eight-year experience

The cytologic diagnosis of 312 stereotaxic samplings performed on 292 patients suspected of having a brain tumor over an eight-year period was reviewed. At different depths of the stereotaxic track, biopsy specimens were secured for cytologic and histologic observations. Smears for cytology were stained both by the May-Grünwald-Giemsa and the Papanicolaou methods since each of them disclosed information complementary to the other. Cytology and histology were in good agreement in 87.5% of the cases. Analysis of the data revealed a cytologic sensitivity of 88.8% and a specificity of 81.9%. The main difficulty encountered was differentiating between nonspecific glial hyperplasia and low-grade astrocytoma. To a lesser degree, differentiating metastases from glioblastoma sometimes was a problem. Stress is laid on the reliability of this type of cytology, its great help when sectioning of unfit specimens makes histologic evaluation hazardous, and its obvious importance when craniotomy is not desirable but a precise pathologic diagnosis is necessary for therapeutic decision. The stereotaxic procedure is briefly reviewed, and the main cytologic findings for the principal lesions encountered are illustrated and discussed.

[An evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid cytology in childhood leukaemias and lymphomas (author's transl)]

A cytological study of the cerebrospinal fluid was carried out on 72 children with leukaemia or lymphoma either at the onset or during the course of the disease. It proved extremely useful in revealing the presence of malignant cells in CSF's with normal cell count and in distinguishing with absolute certainty meningeal leukaemias from meningeal reactions of other origins, in particular the frequent histiocytic reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. These "irritative" reactions are a reminder that iatrogenic damage to the central nervous system is a distinct possibility, and the modalities of treatment should perhaps be reconsidered when they attain a certain magnitude.