Rapid Presentation of Emotional Expressions Reveals New Emotional Impairments in Tourette's Syndrome.

Objective: Based on a variety of empirical evidence obtained within the theoretical framework of embodiment theory, we considered it likely that motor disorders in Tourette's syndrome (TS) would have emotional consequences for TS patients. However, previous research using emotional facial categorization tasks suggests that these consequences are limited to TS patients with obsessive-compulsive behaviors (OCB).

Method: These studies used long stimulus presentations which allowed the participants to categorize the different emotional facial expressions (EFEs) on the basis of a perceptual analysis that might potentially hide a lack of emotional feeling for certain emotions.

Quality of life in adults with Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome.

Background: Few studies have used standardized QOL instruments to assess the quality of life (QOL) in Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (GTS) patients. This work investigates the QOL of adult GTS patients and examines the relationships between physical and psychological variables and QOL.

Methods: Epidemiological investigation by anonymous national postal survey of QOL of patients of the French Association of Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (AFGTS) aged 16 years or older.

A randomized, controlled trial of computer-assisted cognitive remediation for schizophrenia.

Objective: There is considerable interest in cognitive remediation for schizophrenia. Our study aimed to evaluate, in a large sample of patients with schizophrenia, the interest of a computer-assisted cognitive remediation program on cognitive performances of patients as well as in clinical and functional outcome.

Method: Seventy-seven patients with remitted schizophrenia were randomly assigned to 14 2-hours individual sessions of computer-assisted cognitive remediation (n=39) or a control condition (n=38).

[Bipolar disorders in the elderly].

Usual diagnostic criteria are not suited with the diagnosis of bipolar disorders in the elderly, which then remain often undetected. Bipolar disorders in the elderly are clinically heterogeneous and present with various courses: switch from recurrent depression to mania, early onset or late bipolar disorders. In the elderly, bipolar disorders can take uncommon aspects such as depressive or mixed symptoms, psychosis, mental confusion or dementia.