INCIA: presentation of the teams EcoPsy and SWAN

Joel Swendsen, who died suddenly on 14 July 2022, was at the time co-director of the NeuroCOG (Neuroimaging and human cognition) team with Igor Sibon.

Joel Swendsen was a pioneer in the development of mobile technologies to overcome major limitations of traditional research paradigms in mental disorders, including mood and anxiety disorders, psychoses, and addictions.

Following his death, two teams have emerged from NeuroCOG: EcoPsy and SWAN.

EcoPsy

Ecological assessment and management of psychiatric disorders

Team leaders: Sylvie Berthoz (clinical psychologist, Ph.D. in neuroscience, Inserm Senior Researcher), et Igor Sibon (neurologist, PUPH)

A growing preoccupation of the scientific literature concerns the ecological validity and daily-life implications of evaluations administered in medical settings. A considerable portion of our work has therefore been dedicated to the development of ambulatory techniques that use portable electronic devices to collect information concerning behaviors, experiences, and symptoms as experienced in daily life, i.e., digital phenotyping. Such information complements results from standardized clinical tests and strengthens our understanding of the neurophysiological markers identified through neuroimaging. Combined, these approaches permit the characterization of predictive factors for CNS disorders occurrence and recovery trajectory and their anatomo-functional correlates. Further, ambulatory monitoring also permits to provide just-in-time support based on real-time assessment responses, i.e. digital healthcare. In recent years, we have developed tailored digital healthcare programs for the management of mood and anxiety disorders and addictions for stroke and psychiatric patients.

The team is supported by four senior associates researchers (Pr Melina Fatseas: Head of the Bordeaux University Hospital Addiction Department; Dr. David Misdrahi: Psychiatrist, Hospital Practitioner; Dr. Sharmila Sagnier, Neurologist, Hospital Practitioner; Micha Pfeuty: Assistant Professor in Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience), one research engineer (Pierre Schweitzer) and one hospital clinical engineer (Arnaud Tessier).

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SWAN

Sleep/Wake, Aging, Neuroimaging

Team leader: Gwénaelle Catheline, directrice des études,EPHE.

A core objective of our research is to examine the impact of sleep/wake disturbances on daytime functioning to elucidate the etiology and pathophysiology of age-related CNS disorders. Cognitive symptoms and physiological malfunctioning are assessed in clinical studies but also in population-based cohorts. We apply advanced neuroimaging techniques using multimodal approach coupling morphological and functional MRI techniques and dailylife assessment based on connected devices for sleep/wake cycle (actigraphic watch) and cognition (EMA on smart phone). More specifically, daily life evaluations unravel the intra-individual variability of physiological and cognitive functioning; we attempt to understand its anatomical and functional bases by analysing it in relation to brain networks.

The other members of the team are: Ellemarije Altena (MCU, UB), Elodie Barse (Assistante Ingénieure, EPHE), Caroline Buisson (Attachée de Recherche Clinique – CHU Bordeaux), Bixente Dilharreguy (Ingénieur d’Etudes, CNRS), Ernesto Sanz-Arigita (Chargé de Recherche, UB), Imad Ghorayeb (MCU-PH, UB) et Willy Mayo (Chargé de Recherche, INSERM).
Trois doctorantes y soutiennent acutellement leur thèse : Anaïs Bouvier, Aurore Jouvencel et Alice Napias.

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