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Anxiety disorders remain underdiagnosed and undertreated, especially in child and adolescent populations. This study aimed to examine the construct validity of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale 7 (GAD-7) in a sample of French adolescents by combining the Classical Test Theory (CTT) and the Item Response Theory (IRT) and to assess the invariance of items. A total of 284 adolescents enrolled in school in the Lorraine region were randomly selected to participate in a cross-sectional study. A psychometric evaluation was performed using a combination of CTT and IRT analyses. The study of psychometric properties of GAD-7 revealed poor adequation to the sample population, and engendered the deletion of one item (#7) and the merger of two response modalities (#2 and #3). These modifications generated the new GAD-6 scale, which had a good internal consistency reliability (Cronbach α = 0.85; PSI = 0.83), acceptable goodness-of-fit indices (χ2 = 28.89, df = 9, P = 0.001; RMSEA (90% CI) = 0.088 [0.054; 0.125]; SRMR = 0.063; CFI = 0.857), and an acceptable convergent validity (r = –0.62). Only one item (#5) had a consistent Differential Item Functioning (DIF) by gender. This study evaluated the structure of the GAD-7 scale, which was essentially intended at discriminating adolescent patients with high levels of anxiety, and adapted it to a population of adolescents from the general population. The GAD-6 scale presents better psychometric properties in this general population than the original GAD-7 version.

Recovery from substance use disorder requires access to effective coping resources. The most widely self-reported questionnaire used to assess coping responses is the Brief COPE; however, different factorial structures were found in a variety of samples. This study aimed to examine across outpatients with substance use disorders the factor structure of the short dispositional French version of the Brief Coping Orientation to Problem Experienced (COPE) inventory. The French version of the Brief COPE was administered in a sample of 318 outpatients with alcohol or opioid substance use disorder. A clustering analysis on latent variables (CLV) followed by a confirmatory factorial analysis (CFA) was conducted to examine the factor structure of the scale. The internal consistency of the Brief COPE and its subscales were also studied. The analysis revealed a nine-factor structure with a revised 24-item version consisting of functional strategies (four items), problem-solving (four items), denial (two items), substance use (two items), social support seeking (four items), behavioral disengagement (two items), religion (two items), blame (two items), and humor (two items) that demonstrated a good fit to the data. This model explained 53% of the total variance with an overall McDonald’s omega (ω) of 0.96 for the revised scale. The present work offers a robust and valid nine-factor structure for assessing coping strategies in French outpatients with opioid or alcohol substance use disorder. This structure tends to simplify its use and interpretation of results for both clinicians and researchers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread social isolation. This study aimed to determine anxiety levels among parents of school-aged children and investigate the associated factors. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, living and working conditions, family relationships, social support (MSPSS) and health status (SF-12) were collected from French parents through an online survey. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) was used to assess anxiety. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with moderate to severe anxiety. Among 698 parents, 19.2% experienced moderate to severe anxiety. A low level of resilience (OR = 4.3, 95% CI: 2.7–6.7) and confirmed COVID-19 cases involving hospitalization (OR = 3.8, 95% CI: 2.0–7.3) among individuals in one’s household or in the family circle were found to be the main risk factors for moderate to severe anxiety. Other factors were also identified: a level of education less than high school (OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.3–3.2), conflicts at home (OR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.4–3.7), noises outside the home (OR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.0–3.9), confirmed cases not involving hospitalization (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.0–3.1) and suspected cases (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.0–3.8). Family support was a protective factor. These findings suggest some need for support programs to help parents cope with public health crises and work-family challenges.

Highlights • French students from an area particularly affected by COVID-19 experienced high levels of stress under lockdown, with a prevalence of severe perceived stress of 22%. • The presence of someone hospitalized for COVID-19 in one's household and female gender were the main risk factors for severe perceived stress. • The perceived effectiveness of physical exercise for calming down and support from family and friends were protective factors against stress., Objectives : The novel coronavirus disease has caused a global public health emergency. This study aimed to investigate perceived stress levels due to the COVID-19 outbreak and explore associated factors among students under lockdown. Methods : Sociodemographic data, living and learning conditions and existing scales of perceived stress (PSS) and social support (MSPSS) were administered to French students via an online survey. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between severe perceived stress and different factors. Results : Among 3764 university students, the average PSS score was 19.2 (SD=8.3), and 22% experienced high perceived stress. The presence of someone hospitalized for COVID-19 in one's household (OR=6, 95% CI: 2.4-14.6) and female gender (OR=2.3, 95% CI: 1.9-2.9) were the main risk factors for severe perceived stress. The following risk factors were also identified: enrollment in the arts, humanities and language program; postponement of a final examination; reduced learning time; conflicts at home and with neighbors; difficulties isolating; noise inside or outside one's home; a lack of direct outdoor access; increased alcohol and tobacco consumption; and the perceived ineffectiveness of the use of media entertainment to calm down. Friend support (OR=0.87, 95% CI: 0.82-0.93) and family support (OR=0.79, 95% CI: 0.74-0.84) and the perceived effectiveness of physical exercise (OR=0.5, 95% CI: 0.4-0.6) for calming down were protective factors. Conclusion : These findings highlight the factors that should be taken into account to counteract students’ stress and the need to focus on students during epidemics.

ObjectivesBillions of children and adolescents experienced unprecedented changes in their daily lives that impacted their health-related quality of life during the first wave of coronavirus disease 2019. The purpose of this study was to describe child-parent discrepancies in reporting quality of life and explore factors associated with such discrepancies at the end of the first lockdown in France. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among French school-aged children from 8 to 18 years and their parents living in the Grand Est region in France during the first wave of the epidemic. Data were obtained through an online survey. Child-reported and parent-rated health-related quality of life were assessed by the KIDSCREEN-27 scale. Sociodemographic data, living and learning conditions data and parent’s levels of anxiety, stress, social support, quality of life and resilience were also collected. Multinomial multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine the factors associated with discrepant parent-child reports of health-related quality of life. ResultsA total of 471 parent-child pairs were included. In each dimension, there were about 50% of discordant pairs which ranged from 42.9% for the physical well-being dimension to 51.8% for the peers and social support dimension. There were more discrepancies in the sense of under-estimation of the quality of life of children by parents, which ranged from 30.8% for the autonomy and parents’ dimension to 41.4% for the physical well-being dimension, than over-estimation. Factors associated with parental overestimation included tensions and conflicts with neighbors reported by children for physical well-being dimension, parents' professional activity (whether they work full time, part time or not at all) and MSPSS significant others score for psychological well-being dimension, parents' highest diploma for autonomy and parents dimension, children’s education level and home location for peers and social support dimension and the access or not to a garden for school environment. Factors associated with parental underestimation were SF12 score, home location and whether a household member was infected by COVID-19 or not for physical well-being dimension, children gender for psychological well-being dimension, presence of noise in the residence reported by children, parent’s highest diploma and family structure for autonomy and parents dimension, children’s education level for peers and social support dimension, and SF12 score and the access or not to a garden for school environment.ConclusionAgreement between child and parent reports was mostly good. However, discrepancies may occur and the directional discrepancy showed parents’ tendency to underestimate their child’s health-related quality of life. These discrepancies can be explained by living and sociodemographic factors. It will therefore be important to take these factors into account in the use of parent-estimated child health-related quality of life in future studies.

Summary Background Few studies of mental health or substance abuse have focused on rural life. This study aimed to evaluate the association between socio-demographic and clinical characteristics and the probability of rural alcoholic women seeking help on their own at a specialty treatment service. Methods This exploratory study used a cross-sectional design to collect data from alcoholic women upon admission to a French outpatient department. Multiple logistic regression models tested whether the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of these women predicted the likelihood that they would seek treatment at a specialty service on their own. Results Among 50 rural alcoholic women, the probability of seeking help on their own at a specialty treatment service was 5.6 times greater (95% CI 1.2–25.7, P = 0.03) for participants with a history of physical and/or sexual trauma and 5.1 times greater (95% CI 1.1–24, P = 0.03) among women with no complementary health insurance. Conclusion Increased knowledge of the specific characteristics of rural alcoholic women is needed to develop programs that will increase awareness of and access to specialty treatment services among these women.

Background Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important element of patient care and clinical research. The aim of this study was to describe HRQoL changes and identify associated factors during a 6-month follow-up among outpatients starting care for alcohol or opioid dependence. Methods HRQoL was measured at baseline and 3 and 6 months later using the SF-12. Data on sociodemographics, clinical characteristics and patient levels of anxiety and depression were collected using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Repeated-measures analyses were performed to assess factors associated with global HRQoL differences and evolution of HRQoL in both physical and mental scores (PCS and MCS, respectively). Results The mean PCS and MCS scores were initially low at 45.4 (SD=8.6) and 36.0 (SD=10.9), respectively. The improvement in HRQoL was rapid in the first 3-month period, then slower and was even maintained over the subsequent 3-month period. Being employed (p=0.012), having no comorbidities (p=0.0144) and no depression (p=0.0041) were associated with significant differences in the average PCS scores at the 3 time points. Patients who had lower overall HRQoL MCS scores on average were those for whom a medication was initiated (p= 0.0086), as was the case for patients with anxiety (p=0.0001) and depression (p=0.0009). Patients with depression at baseline were also those for whom a significantly greater increase in MCS during the 6 months of follow-up was observed. Conclusion Our findings highlight the importance of screening early psychological distress and considering other factors associated with HRQoL changes after the first 3-month period in SUD outpatients.

Background Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important element of patient care and clinical research. The aim of this study was to describe HRQoL changes and identify associated factors during a 6-month follow-up of outpatients starting care for alcohol or opioid dependence. Methods HRQoL was measured at baseline and 3 and 6 months later using the SF-12. Data on the patients’ sociodemographics, clinical characteristics and levels of anxiety and depression were collected using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Repeated-measures analyses were performed to assess factors associated with global HRQoL differences and the evolution of HRQoL indicated by both physical and mental scores (PCS and MCS, respectively). Results The mean PCS and MCS scores were initially low at 45.4 (SD = 8.6) and 36.0 (SD = 10.9), respectively. The improvement in HRQoL was rapid in the first 3-month period and then slowed and remained stable over the subsequent 3-month period. Being employed (p = 0.012), having no comorbidities (p = 0.014) and having no depression (p = 0.004) were associated with significant differences in the average PCS scores at the 3 time points. Patients who had lower overall HRQoL MCS scores on average were those for whom a medication was initiated (p = 0.009), as was the case for patients with anxiety (p p Conclusion Our findings highlight the importance of screening early psychological distress and considering other factors associated with HRQoL changes in outpatients after the first 3-month period of treatment for substance use disorder.

Purpose: Billions of children worldwide were sent under lockdown due to the coronavirus disease. This study aimed to investigate child-reported and parent-rated health-related quality of life among 8- to 18-year-olds and the agreement between the children’s assessments and those of their parents during lockdown.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among French children living in the Grand Est area. An online survey was used to collect data on the children’s sociodemographics, living environments, education and HRQoL. The latter was assessed with KIDSCREEN-27, which consists of five domains. Sex and age differences in parent ratings and child-reported data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis tests. Child-parent agreement was analyzed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).Results: In total, 471 child-parent pairs from 341 households were included. Compared to European norms, children scored lower on all dimensions during the first lockdown: physical well-being (45.9/49.94 EU), psychological well-being (48.8/49.77 EU), parent relations and autonomy (47.7/49.99 EU), social support and peers (36.4/49.94) and school (48.2/50). Significant child-reported sex and age differences were identified for both psychological and physical well-being dimensions. Moderate to good agreement existed between children’s and parents’ ratings on all KIDSCREEN dimensions (ICC ranged from 0.60 to 0.76).Conclusion: The study suggests the need to focus on children’s social support and peers during epidemics and to consider the children’s self-reported HRQoL. Additional research should be conducted to identify ways of minimizing the gap between mental health needs and the services available and to help more children maintain their physical and mental health during the current crisis.

International audience; Patients with schizophrenia have altered visual cognition and retinal functions. No studies have explored if retinal anomalies are related to visual cognition and the presence of visual hallucinations (VH). We explored functional responses of the retinal ganglion cells in schizophrenia patients with or without VH and conducted a neuropsychological evaluation to explore the links between cognition and retinal function. The VH+ group showed poorer visual cognition and we found correlations between the amplitudes of the P50 and the N95 waves and visual cognition. Our results provide arguments for a link between retinal dysfunction, impaired visual processing and VH in schizophrenia.

Aim Psychosis can be preceded by a clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR) and visual anomalies are predictors of transition to psychosis. Visual retinal processing is altered in psychosis, but no study has explored the links between visual symptoms and retinal functions in CHR patients. We report here the case of NR, an antipsychotic-naive young adult with CHR and severe visual symptoms in whom we explored the retinal function. Methods A flash electroretinogram (fERG) and a pattern electroretinogram (pERG) protocol were conducted and we compared NR results to a group of patients with schizophrenia and a group of healthy controls. Results Despites an overlap between the measures of NR and the two groups, visual analyses revealed that NR showed increased b-wave implicit time (rod response) compared to the control group and NR's response was at an intermediate level between two subgroups of schizophrenia patients regarding presence or absence of visual hallucinations. Discussion The relevance of retinal dysfunctions as a marker of vulnerability for psychosis is discussed.

Background Health care personnel who work in penitentiary environments are at risk of burnout due to a variety of factors. Latest research have brought forward a classification system consisting of five burnout profiles on a continuum between engagement and burnout. The objective of this study was to measure the prevalence of these profiles among professionals working in French health units providing health services for inmates according to the three levels of care and to investigate their characteristics to propose appropriate management and prevention approaches. Methods This study involved a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Evaluation of Health CAre in Units for inmates (EHCAU) study, a multicentric cohort study of professionals practising in health units for inmates in eastern France. Burnout was assessed by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) at the levels of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment. Job conditions and characteristics were measured using the Karasek Job Content Questionnaire and the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire. Data on sociodemographic characteristics and self-reported health status were also collected. Differences between MBI profiles were identified using Fisher’s exact test and the Wilcoxon test. Results Of the 350 professionals surveyed, 150 responded (42.9%). The most frequent profiles were ineffective (36.9%) and engagement (34.8%). The burnout (7.8%), overextended (15.6%) and disengaged (5.0%) profiles made up the remaining quarter. Significant differences in the burnout profiles were observed in regard to professional occupation (p = 0.01), irregular eating hours (p = 0.04), history of complaint procedures (p = 0.05), anxiety (p ), depression (p ) and the mental component of self-reported quality of life (p ). Conclusions These results confirm that special attention should be given to professionals working in these challenging settings. The results have important implications for theory and research and for more customized approach interventions. Trial registration ID RCB: 2018-A03029–46.

Premature discontinuation of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment is a leading factor associated with poor outcomes. The aim of the study was to investigate factors associated with early dropout among individuals with SUD receiving outpatient care. In a prospective cohort of substance-dependent outpatients, we collected sociodemographic and clinical data, and participants completed questionnaires assessing health-related quality of life, states of anxiety and depression, and coping at baseline. We assessed satisfaction with the EQS-C soon after inclusion. We evaluated factors associated with dropout from care at 3 months using logistic regression models. We included a total of 175 patients at baseline. The retention rate over the 3-month period was 69.7%. The results indicate that higher satisfaction with care (OR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.93–0.98, p = 0.01) and use of positive reframing (OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.59–0.96, p = 0.04) led to significantly lower levels of dropout from care at 3 months. We also found that female gender (OR = 2.97, 95% CI = 1.1–8, p = 0.03) and the use of the denial coping strategy (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.1–1.8, p = 0.02) were significantly associated with higher early dropout at 3 months. These results suggest the need to improve satisfaction with treatment and identify patients' needs to reduce the risk of early dropout from SUD care.

International audience; Previous research showed that coping strategies are associated with depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with chronic somatic conditions. The aim of this study was to examine the coping strategies used in patients with substance use disorders and to assess the relationships between coping strategies, HRQoL, anxiety and depression. Coping was assessed in a prospective outpatient cohort by the Brief COPE. Additionally, sociodemographic and clinical data were collected, and questionnaires assessing HRQoL (SF-12) and states of anxiety and depression were completed. Cross-sectional analysis using Pearson correlations and multiple linear regression was performed. A total of 244 patients were included. Acceptance, planning and self-blame were the most used coping strategies. Strong correlations were found between anxiety, depression, coping strategies and HRQoL. On the MCS-12, better scores were associated with male gender, lack of anxiety or depression and coping styles based on less self-blame, on positive reframing, acceptance, and behavioral disengagement. Patients without depression or anxiety, and no comorbidity had better scores on the SF-12 PCS. Coping strategies of substance-dependent outpatients should be assessed, as they might be useful for identifying patients in need of support. Furthermore, interventions that improve coping capabilities might be helpful for improving HRQoL.

Background Although research on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has increased in the addiction field, few studies have focused on the determinants of HRQoL changes. This study aimed to describe dependent patients’ HRQoL changes at a 3-month follow-up and to assess whether satisfaction with care can predict those changes among outpatients starting care for alcohol or opioid dependence. Methods HRQoL was measured with the SF-12 at baseline and 3 months later in a prospective cohort of dependent outpatients. Satisfaction was assessed with the EQS-C early after inclusion. Data on sociodemographics, clinical characteristics and patients’ levels of anxiety and depression were also collected. A multivariable analysis was performed to identify factors associated with HRQoL changes in both the physical and mental component summary scores (PCS and MCS, respectively). Results Of the 172 patients included at baseline, a total of 136 patients assessed their satisfaction with care. The mean PCS and MCS scores were initially low, and HRQoL improvement was significant after 3 months for both the PCS and MCS. Never having been married (β = 5.5; p = 0.001) and a lower baseline PCS score (β = − 0.6; p p = 0.02) was associated with less PCS change. Higher early satisfaction with care (β = 0.1; p = 0.02) and a lower baseline MCS score (β = − 0.7; p Conclusion The study supported the hypothesis that greater satisfaction with care may predict HRQoL improvement among dependent outpatients. Further studies are needed to understand the factors that affect patients’ early satisfaction to identify areas of improvement and thus improve HRQoL.

Highlights • Compared to previous studies in China, greater levels of anxiety were reported among French students in an area particularly affected by the disease, with more than half of these students experiencing anxiety. • Female gender and having relatives or acquaintances from their residence hospitalized for COVID-19 were the main risk factors for moderate to severe anxiety. • Support from family and support from friends were protective factors against anxiety., The COVID-19 has sent billions of students worldwide into lockdown. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety and identify the factors associated with anxiety among French students during lockdown.A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect sociodemographic data, living and learning conditions, anxiety symptoms and social support. Among 3936 students, 15.2%, experienced moderate anxiety and 9.8%, severe anxiety.Female gender (OR=2.2, 95% CI: 1.8-2.7) and having relatives or acquaintances from their housing hospitalized for COVID-19 (OR=3.3, 95% CI: 1.4-7.9) were the main risk factors for anxiety. Tensions at home (OR=1.8, 95% CI: 1.5-2.1), difficulties isolating (OR=1.4, 95% CI: 1.1-1.6), noises inside (OR=1.6, 95% CI: 1.3-1.9) or outside the housing (OR=1.5, 95% CI: 1.3-1.8), no direct outdoor access (OR=1.6, 95% CI: 1.3-2.0), delay in final examination (OR=1.6, 95% CI: 1.3-2.1), reduced time for learning (OR=1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.6), increased tobacco consumption (OR=1.9, 95% CI: 1.4-2.6), ineffectiveness of using media entertainment (OR=2.2, 95% CI: 1.1-4.4) and reading (OR=1.9, 95% CI: 1.3-2.7) to calm down, were identified as risk factors. Family (OR=0.85, 95% CI: 0.8-0.91) and friend (OR=0.88, 95% CI: 0.82-0.94) support were protective factors. This suggests the need to focus on students during epidemics, especially those living with someone hospitalized with COVID-19.

Stéphanie Bourion-Bédès,1–3 Raymund Schwan,2 Paolo Di Patrizio,2 Guillaume Vlamynck,2 Sarah Viennet,2 Maxime Schvartz,2 Anne Gaunard,2 Alex Bédès,4 Isabelle Clerc-Urmès,5 Cédric Baumann3,5 1Regional Medical and Psychological Service (SMPR), 2CSAPA (Healthcare Center of Accompaniment and Prevention in Addictology), University Hospital of Nancy, 3EA4360 APEMAC, University of Lorraine, Nancy, 4ANPAA 15-CSAPA (Healthcare Center of Accompaniment and Prevention in Addictology), Saint-Flour, Cantal, 5Platform of Clinical Research Facility PARC, Unit MDS, University Hospital of Nancy, Nancy, France Background: Although patient perceptions of health care have increasingly been explored in the literature, little is known about care satisfaction among individuals with substance dependence. This exploratory study assessed the relationships between patient and physician characteristics and early outpatient satisfaction with care for alcohol and opioid dependence. Methods: Satisfaction was assessed using a multidimensional, self-administered and validated questionnaire during the early care process among a prospective outpatient cohort. In addition to measuring satisfaction and obtaining sociodemographic and clinical data, this study collected data on the self-reported health status and physician characteristics at inclusion. Cross-sectional analysis with multiple linear regression was performed to identify the variables associated with satisfaction level. Results: A total of 249 outpatients were included, and 63.8% completed the satisfaction questionnaire. Patients without a history of previous care for substance dependence were more satisfied with the appointment-making process (β=7.2; P=0.029) and with the doctor consultation (β=10.3; P=0.003) than those who had received care previously. Neither sociodemographic characteristics nor self-reported health status was associated with outpatient satisfaction. Conclusion: The factors that affect patients’ ratings of early satisfaction with the care that they receive should be studied further because increased understanding of the factors that negatively affect these ratings might enable caregivers and outpatient management facilities to improve the patient experience during the early stages of care, which might in turn improve treatment adherence, continuity of care, and other health-related outcomes. Keywords: satisfaction, determinants, outpatient, substance dependence

Resume Objectif La satisfaction vis-a-vis des soins est reconnue comme un indicateur de choix de la qualite des soins. L’objectif principal etait d’identifier des facteurs lies a la satisfaction precoce vis-a-vis des soins au 45e jour du debut de la prise en charge ambulatoire de patients dependants aux substances psychoactives de type alcool ou opiaces. L’objectif secondaire etait d’etudier la reproductibilite de la satisfaction au cours des soins. Methode Une etude longitudinale a ete realisee. La satisfaction a ete mesuree de maniere precoce aux 15e et 45e jours du debut des soins au moyen du questionnaire de satisfaction EQS-C. Les determinants de la satisfaction a j45 ont ete explores par des modeles de regression lineaire multivaries. La reproductibilite de la mesure j15/J45 a ete appreciee par un calcul du coefficient de correlation intraclasse. Resultats Au total, 189 patients ont ete inclus dont 90 ont repondu aux deux temps de mesure de la satisfaction. Le niveau de satisfaction precoce est eleve. Si l’absence d’antecedents de prise en charge de la dependance est associee a une meilleure satisfaction a j45 dans un premier temps (β = 6,8 ; p = 0,05), seul le score total de la satisfaction a j15 y est associe lorsqu’il est pris en compte (β = 0,7 ; p Conclusion Nous recommandons une mesure precoce a j15 de la satisfaction vis-a-vis des soins ambulatoires chez les patients dependants aux substances.

International audience; Both acute and regular cannabis use affects the functioning of the brain. While several studies have demonstrated that regular cannabis use can impair the capacity to synchronize neural assemblies during specific tasks, less is known about spontaneous brain activity. This can be explored by measuring EEG complexity, which reflects the spontaneous variability of human brain activity. A recent study has shown that acute cannabis use can affect that complexity. Since the characteristics of cannabis use can affect the impact on brain functioning, this study sets out to measure EEG complexity in regular cannabis users with or without dependence, in comparison with healthy controls. We recruited 26 healthy controls, 25 cannabis users without cannabis dependence and 14 cannabis users with cannabis dependence, based on DSM IV TR criteria. The EEG signal was extracted from at least 250 epochs of the 500ms pre-stimulation phase during a visual evoked potential paradigm. Brain complexity was estimated using Lempel-Ziv Complexity (LZC), which was compared across groups by non-parametric Kruskall-Wallis ANOVA. The analysis revealed a significant difference between the groups, with higher LZC in participants with cannabis dependence than in non-dependent cannabis users. There was no specific localization of this effect across electrodes. We showed that cannabis dependence is associated to an increased spontaneous brain complexity in regular users. This result is in line with previous results in acute cannabis users. It may reflect increased randomness of neural activity in cannabis dependence. Future studies should explore whether this effect is permanent or diminishes with cannabis cessation.

International audience; BackgroundDifferential Item Functioning (DIF) is investigated to ensure that each item displays a consistent pattern of responses irrespective of the characteristics of the respondents. Assessing DIF helps to understand the nature of instruments, to assess the quality of a measure and to interpret results. This study aimed to examine whether the items of the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form (Q-LES-Q-SF) and Short-Form 12 (SF-12) exhibit DIF.MethodA total of 124 outpatients diagnosed with substance dependence participated in a cross-sectional, multicenter study. In addition to the Q-LES-Q-SF and SF-12 results, demographic data such as age, sex, type of substance dependence and education level were collected. Rasch analysis was conducted (using RUMM2020 software) to assess DIF of the Q-LES-Q-SF and SF-12 items.ResultsFor SF-12, significant age-related uniform DIF was found in two of the 12 items, and sex-related DIF was found in one of the 12 items. All of the observed DIF effects in SF-12 were found among the mental health items. Three items showed DIF on the Q-LES-Q-SF; however, the impact of DIF item on the delta score calculation for the comparisons of self-reported health status between the groups was minimal in the SF-12 and small in the Q-LES-Q-SF.ConclusionThese results indicated that no major measurement bias affects the validity of the self-reported health status assessed using the Q-LES-Q-SF or SF-12. Thus, these questionnaires are largely robust measures of self-reported health status among substance users.

International audience; We reported the case of a young woman who received an antiepileptic drug after a first possible generalized tonic-clonic seizure with no clear inter-ictal epileptic paroxysms in the routine electroencephalogram. Her stereotypical movements decreased but did not disappear with treatment. Then a diagnosis of PNES was considered by neurologist after witnessing a stereotypical motor episode. While AED treatment was decreased and stopped, epileptic seizure frequency and severity increased with secondary generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Then she presented postictal psychotic features that combined with video-EEG findings led to the final diagnosis of new onset pre-frontal lobe epilepsy.