Dr. Fabienne Picard has held the position of Associate Professor at the Medical School of Geneva since 2019. She serves as a Senior Attending Physician in the Epilepsy Unit at the Department of Neurology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland. Her extensive medical training was completed at the University Hospitals and Medical School of Strasbourg, France, enriched by a Master's degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology.
Dr. Picard's clinical contributions are notable, particularly in her involvement with the First Seizure project, initiated in May 2021 at the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG). This innovative program focuses on providing immediate hospitalization and comprehensive early assessment for individuals experiencing their first suspected epileptic seizure. This approach includes thorough EEG monitoring and early brain MRI evaluation.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Picard has played pivotal roles in various administrative and advisory capacities. She has been the head of the Drug Commission for the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at HUG since 2017. Moreover, she has served as a member of both the Clinical Medicine Disciplinary Body of the Library at the University of Geneva and the Board of the Swiss League Against Epilepsy since 2021.
Dr. Picard's research had first primarily focused on the genetics of focal epilepsies, with a special emphasis on the role of brain nicotinic receptors. She has then made significant contributions to the understanding of ecstatic epilepsy, a specific form of focal epilepsy. Her groundbreaking discovery highlighted the critical role of the anterior insula in this condition. Her research has been widely recognized and supported by grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation.
Dr. Picard has published over 100 articles in internationally peer-reviewed journals, contributing significantly to the field of neurology and epilepsy research. Her work not only advances scientific understanding but also has profound implications for the treatment and management of epilepsy.
Major publications
Ecstatic epilepsy
- Picard F, Craig AD. Ecstatic epileptic seizures: a potential window on the neural basis for human self-awareness. Epilepsy Behav 2009; 16: 539-546. doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2009.09.013.
- Gschwind M, Picard F. Ecstatic epileptic seizures: a glimpse into the multiple roles of the insula. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 10:21.doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00021
- Bartolomei F, Lagarde S, Scavarda D, Carron R, Bénar CG, Picard F. The role of the dorsal anterior insula in ecstatic sensation revealed by direct electrical brain stimulation. Brain Stim 2019; 12(5):1121-1126. doi:10.1016/j.brs.2019.06.005
- Conférence semaine du cerveau Genève 2023. La conscience dans tous ses états.
- Picard F. Ecstatic epileptic seizures. J Cogn Neurosci 2023; 35: 1372-1381. doi:10.1162/jocn_a_02031
Brain nicotinic receptors
- Picard F, Bruel D, Servent D, Saba W, Fruchart-Gaillard C, Schöllhorn-Peyronneau M-A, Roumenov D, Brodtkorb E, Zuberi S, Gambardella A, Steinborn B, Hufnagel A, Valette H, Bottlaender M. Alteration of the in vivo nicotinic receptor density in ADNFLE patients: a PET study. Brain 2006;129(8):2047-2060. doi:10.1093/brain/awl156
- Picard F, Sadaghiani S, Leroy C, Courvoisier D, Maroy R, Bottlaender M. High density of nicotinic receptors in the cingulo-insular network. NeuroImage 2013;79:42 51. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.04.074
Genetics of epilepsies
- Picard F, Baulac S, Kahane P, Hirsch E, Sebastianelli R, Thomas P, Vigevano F, Genton P, Guerrini R, Gericke CA, An I, Rudolf G, Herman A, Brice A, Marescaux C, LeGuern E. Dominant partial epilepsies: a clinical, electrophysiological and genetic study of 19 European families. Brain 2000; 123: 1247-1262. doi.org/10.1093/brain/123.6.1247
- Baulac S, Ishida S, Marsan E, Miquel C, Biraben A, Nguyen DK, Nordli D, Cossette P, Nguyen S, Lambrecq V, Vlaicu M, Daniau M, Bielle F, Andermann E, Andermann F, Leguern E, Chassoux F, Picard F. Familial focal epilepsy with focal cortical dysplasia due to DEPDC5 mutations. Ann Neurol 2015; 77: 675-683. doi: 10.1002/ana.24368
- Picard F, Makrythanasis P, Navarro V, Ishida S, de Bellescize J, Ville D, Vasselon Raina M, Lesca G, An-Gourfinkel I, Baulac M, Mundwiller E, Couarch P, Antonarakis SE, Leguern E, Steinlein O, Baulac S. DEPDC5 mutations in families presenting as autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy. Neurology 2014; 82: 2101-2106. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000000488