1
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Li H, Wang W, Li J, Qiu J, Wu Y. Spontaneous brain activity associated with individual differences in decisional and emotional forgiveness. Brain Imaging Behav 2024; 18:588-597. [PMID: 38324082 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-024-00856-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Previous studies have explored the neural bases of forgiveness, however, the neural associations of decisional and emotional forgiveness remain unclear. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) and functional connectivity (FC) measured by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) were used to investigate the neural associations of individual differences in decisional and emotional forgiveness among healthy volunteers (256 participants, 85 males). The results of the ReHo analysis showed that decisional forgiveness was positively correlated with the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL). Furthermore, emotional forgiveness was positively correlated with the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and left supramarginal gyrus (SMG). The results of the FC analysis showed that decisional forgiveness was positively associated with the FC strength between the left IPL and left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and negatively correlated with the FC strength among the left IPL, right superior temporal gyrus (STG), and left SMG. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between emotional forgiveness and FC strength between the left SMG and right IPL. These findings suggest an association between decisional and emotional forgiveness and spontaneous brain activity in brain regions related to empathy, emotion regulation, and cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haijiang Li
- School of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 200234, China.
- Lab for Educational Big Data and Policymaking, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Normal University, No.100 Guilin Rd. Xuhui district, Shanghai, 200234, China.
| | - Wenyuan Wang
- School of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 200234, China
| | - Jingyu Li
- School of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 200234, China
| | - Jiang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Southwest University Branch, Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality at Beijing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuedong Wu
- Lab for Educational Big Data and Policymaking, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Normal University, No.100 Guilin Rd. Xuhui district, Shanghai, 200234, China.
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2
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Silvestri C, Scaini S, Giani L, Ferro M, Nobile M, Caputi M. Theory of Mind: A Brief Review of Candidate Genes. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:717. [PMID: 38927653 PMCID: PMC11203359 DOI: 10.3390/genes15060717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Deficits in theory of mind (ToM), known as the ability to understand the other's mind, have been associated with several psychopathological outcomes. The present systematic review aims to summarize the results of genetic studies that investigated gene polymorphisms associated with mentalization performance tasks in children and adults. The systematic review was carried out following PRISMA guidelines, and the literature search was conducted in PubMed and EBSCOhost using the following keywords: 'theory of mind, mentalizing, mindreading' and 'gene, genetic basis'. Nineteen studies met the eligibility criteria for inclusion. Most of the literature focused on the role of DRD4, DAT1, OXTR, OXT, COMT, ZNF804A, AVP, AVPR, SCL6A4, EFHC2, MAO-A, and the family of GTF2I genes in influencing ToM. However, controversial results emerged in sustaining the link between specific genetic polymorphisms and mentalization abilities in children and adults. Available data show heterogeneous outcomes, with studies reporting an association between the same family genes in subjects of the same age and other studies reporting no correlation. This does not allow us to draw any solid conclusions but paves the way for exploring genes involved in ToM tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corrado Silvestri
- Child and Youth Lab, Sigmund Freud University of Milan, Via Ripa di Porta Ticinese 77, 20143 Milan, Italy; (C.S.); (L.G.)
| | - Simona Scaini
- Child and Youth Lab, Sigmund Freud University of Milan, Via Ripa di Porta Ticinese 77, 20143 Milan, Italy; (C.S.); (L.G.)
- Child and Adolescent Unit, Italian Psychotherapy Clinics, Corso San Gottardo 5, 20136 Milan, Italy
| | - Ludovica Giani
- Child and Youth Lab, Sigmund Freud University of Milan, Via Ripa di Porta Ticinese 77, 20143 Milan, Italy; (C.S.); (L.G.)
| | - Mattia Ferro
- Brain and Behaviour Lab, Sigmund Freud University of Milan, Via Ripa di Porta Ticinese 77, 20143 Milan, Italy;
| | - Maria Nobile
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, 23842 Lecco, Italy;
| | - Marcella Caputi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via E. Weiss, 34128 Trieste, Italy;
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Deng F, Bueber MA, Cao Y, Tang J, Bai X, Cho Y, Lee J, Lin Z, Yang Q, Keshavan MS, Stone WS, Qian M, Yang LH, Phillips MR. Assessing social cognition in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls using the reading the mind in the eyes test (RMET): a systematic review and meta-regression. Psychol Med 2024; 54:847-873. [PMID: 38173096 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291723003501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The reading the mind in the eyes test (RMET) - which assesses the theory of mind component of social cognition - is often used to compare social cognition between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. There is, however, no systematic review integrating the results of these studies. We identified 198 studies published before July 2020 that administered RMET to patients with schizophrenia or healthy controls from three English-language and two Chinese-language databases. These studies included 41 separate samples of patients with schizophrenia (total n = 1836) and 197 separate samples of healthy controls (total n = 23 675). The pooled RMET score was 19.76 (95% CI 18.91-20.60) in patients and 25.53 (95% CI 25.19-25.87) in controls (z = 12.41, p < 0.001). After excluding small-sample outlier studies, this difference in RMET performance was greater in studies using non-English v. English versions of RMET (Chi [Q] = 8.54, p < 0.001). Meta-regression analyses found a negative association of age with RMET score and a positive association of years of schooling with RMET score in both patients and controls. A secondary meta-analysis using a spline construction of 180 healthy control samples identified a non-monotonic relationship between age and RMET score - RMET scores increased with age before 31 and decreased with age after 31. These results indicate that patients with schizophrenia have substantial deficits in theory of mind compared with healthy controls, supporting the construct validity of RMET as a measure of social cognition. The different results for English versus non-English versions of RMET and the non-monotonic relationship between age and RMET score highlight the importance of the language of administration of RMET and the possibility that the relationship of aging with theory of mind is different from the relationship of aging with other types of cognitive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Deng
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- University of Nottingham School of Economics (Ningbo China), Zhejiang, China
| | - Marlys A Bueber
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yourong Cao
- Guangxi Medical University School of Public Health, Guangxi, China
- The Reproductive Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi, China
| | - Jeff Tang
- New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xinyu Bai
- Guangxi Medical University School of Public Health, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences & The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi, China
| | - Young Cho
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jiwon Lee
- Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zhuozhi Lin
- Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Qi Yang
- Ningxia Medical University School of Public Health, Ningxia, China
| | - Matcheri S Keshavan
- Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - William S Stone
- Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Min Qian
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lawrence H Yang
- New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael R Phillips
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Mariani F, Calandri I, Dansilio S. Criminal behaviors: A theory of mind problem? APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. ADULT 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38466873 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2024.2326935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Theory of mind (ToM) has been addressed in relation to functional alterations of certain brain regions and their connections. The objective is to evaluate ToM in imprisoned criminal offenders and to analyze their relationship with the functions linked to the prefrontal cortex according to their expression in neuropsychological tests. The sample was composed of 52 subjects. 27 committed instrumental homicides and 25 crimes of sale and/or possession of narcotics. A control group was taken, 19 healthy subjects at liberty. The Faux-Pas (FP) and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes tests were used. A neuropsychological battery of executive functions and functions related to the frontal lobes and Hare's Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) was also applied. The criminal groups have comparable performances in all measures. The control group (in freedom) showed higher performance, with statistical significance, in the Faux-Pas test. Moderate negative correlations were found between the FP and the PCL-R. A distinction between affective and cognitive ToM could be affirmed, with people deprived of liberty presenting deficient functioning in the cognitive ToM test. This difference in performance could be linked to the disruptive event with the social norm and not so much with the violent homicide act itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Mariani
- Institute of Fundamentals in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology
- Department of Neuropsychology Clinical Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Sergio Dansilio
- Institute of Fundamentals in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology
- Department of Neuropsychology Clinical Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay
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Qiao-Tasserit E, Corradi-Dell’Acqua C, Vuilleumier P. Influence of transient emotional episodes on affective and cognitive theory of mind. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2024; 19:nsae016. [PMID: 38442706 PMCID: PMC10914405 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsae016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Our emotions may influence how we interact with others. Previous studies have shown an important role of emotion induction in generating empathic reactions towards others' affect. However, it remains unclear whether (and to which extent) our own emotions can influence the ability to infer people's mental states, a process associated with Theory of Mind (ToM) and implicated in the representation of both cognitive (e.g. beliefs and intentions) and affective conditions. We engaged 59 participants in two emotion-induction experiments where they saw joyful, neutral and fearful clips. Subsequently, they were asked to infer other individuals' joy, fear (affective ToM) or beliefs (cognitive ToM) from verbal scenarios. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we found that brain activity in the superior temporal gyrus, precuneus and sensorimotor cortices were modulated by the preceding emotional induction, with lower response when the to-be-inferred emotion was incongruent with the one induced in the observer (affective ToM). Instead, we found no effect of emotion induction on the appraisal of people's beliefs (cognitive ToM). These findings are consistent with embodied accounts of affective ToM, whereby our own emotions alter the engagement of key brain regions for social cognition, depending on the compatibility between one's own and others' affect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Qiao-Tasserit
- Laboratory of Behavioural Neurology and Imaging of Cognition, Department of Neuroscience, University Medical Center, University of Geneva, Geneva CH-1206, Switzerland
- Geneva Neuroscience Center, University of Geneva, Geneva CH-1206, Switzerland
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva CH-1209, Switzerland
| | - Corrado Corradi-Dell’Acqua
- Geneva Neuroscience Center, University of Geneva, Geneva CH-1206, Switzerland
- Theory of Pain Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences (FPSE), University of Geneva, Geneva CH-1211, Switzerland
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), University of Trento, Rovereto IT-38068, Italy
| | - Patrik Vuilleumier
- Laboratory of Behavioural Neurology and Imaging of Cognition, Department of Neuroscience, University Medical Center, University of Geneva, Geneva CH-1206, Switzerland
- Geneva Neuroscience Center, University of Geneva, Geneva CH-1206, Switzerland
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva CH-1209, Switzerland
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Smogorzewska J, Szumski G, Bosacki S, Grygiel P, Osterhaus C. Longitudinal relations between theory of mind and academic achievement among deaf and hard-of-hearing school-aged children. J Exp Child Psychol 2024; 239:105806. [PMID: 37967482 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
This 2-year longitudinal study investigated the bidirectional relations between the development of theory of mind (ToM) and academic competences in a sample of 270 deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children (Mage at Wave 1 = 7.52 years, SD = 0.99; 58.5% boys and 41.5% girls). Across three waves (10 months apart), children were assessed for their ToM abilities, using the ToM scale and a second-order false belief task, as well as for their language and mathematics skills. Cross-lagged correlational analysis revealed significant bidirectional associations between ToM and academic achievement (language and mathematics). That is, ToM predicted academic achievement with similar strength as ToM development itself was predicted by academic achievement. Our results highlight the bidirectional nature of the association between ToM and academic achievement, and they show that ToM development plays a crucial role in DHH children's school functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Grzegorz Szumski
- Faculty of Education, University of Warsaw, 00-561 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Sandra Bosacki
- Faculty of Education, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Paweł Grygiel
- Faculty of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, 31-007 Cracow, Poland
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Rabini G, Funghi G, Meli C, Pierotti E, Saviola F, Jovicich J, Dodich A, Papagno C, Turella L. Functional alterations in resting-state networks for Theory of Mind in Parkinson's disease. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 59:1213-1226. [PMID: 37670685 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
In Parkinson's disease (PD), impairment of Theory of Mind (ToM) has recently attracted an increasing number of neuroscientific investigations. If and how functional connectivity of the ToM network is altered in PD is still an open question. First, we explored whether ToM network connectivity shows potential PD-specific functional alterations when compared to healthy controls (HC). Second, we tested the role of the duration of PD in the evolution of functional alterations in the ToM network. Between-group connectivity alterations were computed adopting resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data of four groups: PD patients with short disease duration (PD-1, n = 72); PD patients with long disease duration (PD-2, n = 22); healthy controls for PD-1 (HC-1, n = 69); healthy controls for PD-2 (HC-2, n = 22). We explored connectivity differences in the ToM network within and between its three subnetworks: Affective, Cognitive and Core. PD-1 presented a global pattern of decreased functional connectivity within the ToM network, compared to HC-1. The alterations mainly involved the Cognitive and Affective ToM subnetworks and their reciprocal connections. PD-2-those with longer disease duration-showed an increased connectivity spanning the entire ToM network, albeit less consistently in the Core ToM network, compared to both the PD-1 and the HC-2 groups. Functional connectivity within the ToM network is altered in PD. The alterations follow a graded pattern, with decreased connectivity at short disease duration, which broadens to a generalized increase with longer disease duration. The alterations involve both the Cognitive and Affective subnetworks of ToM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Rabini
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Giulia Funghi
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Claudia Meli
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Enrica Pierotti
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Francesca Saviola
- Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Jorge Jovicich
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | | | - Costanza Papagno
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Luca Turella
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
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Maggi G, Giacobbe C, Vitale C, Amboni M, Obeso I, Santangelo G. Theory of mind in mild cognitive impairment and Parkinson's disease: The role of memory impairment. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 24:156-170. [PMID: 38049608 PMCID: PMC10827829 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-023-01142-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social cognition is impaired in Parkinson's disease (PD). Whether social cognitive impairment (iSC) is a by-product of the underlying cognitive deficits in PD or a process independent of cognitive status is unknown. To this end, the present study was designed to investigate the weight of specific cognitive deficits in social cognition, considering different mild cognitive impairment subtypes of PD (PD-MCI). METHODS Fifty-eight PD patients underwent a neuropsychological battery assessing executive functions, memory, language, and visuospatial domains, together with social cognitive tests focused on theory of mind (ToM). Patients were divided into subgroups according to their clinical cognitive status: amnestic PD-MCI (PD-aMCI, n = 18), non-amnestic PD-MCI (PD-naMCI, n = 16), and cognitively unimpaired (PD-CU, n = 24). Composite scores for cognitive and social domains were computed to perform mediation analyses. RESULTS Memory and language impairments mediated the effect of executive functioning in social cognitive deficits in PD patients. Dividing by MCI subgroups, iSC occurred more frequently in PD-aMCI (77.8%) than in PD-naMCI (18.8%) and PD-CU (8.3%). Moreover, PD-aMCI performed worse than PD-CU in all social cognitive measures, whereas PD-naMCI performed worse than PD-CU in only one subtype of the affective and cognitive ToM tests. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that ToM impairment in PD can be explained by memory dysfunction that mediates executive control. ToM downsides in the amnesic forms of PD-MCI may suggest that subtle changes in social cognition could partly explain future transitions into dementia. Hence, the evaluation of social cognition in PD is critical to characterize a possible behavioral marker of cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianpaolo Maggi
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Viale Ellittico, 31, 81100, Caserta, Italy.
| | - Chiara Giacobbe
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Viale Ellittico, 31, 81100, Caserta, Italy
| | - Carmine Vitale
- Institute of Diagnosis and Health, IDC-Hermitage Capodimonte, Naples, Italy
- Department of Motor Sciences and Wellness, University "Parthenope, Naples, Italy
| | - Marianna Amboni
- Institute of Diagnosis and Health, IDC-Hermitage Capodimonte, Naples, Italy
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Ignacio Obeso
- HM Hospitales - Centro Integral de Neurociencias AC HM CINAC, Hospital Universitario HM Puerta del Sur, HM Hospitales, Avda. Carlos V, 70. 28938, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain.
- Department of Psychobiology and Methods on Behavioural Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Gabriella Santangelo
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Viale Ellittico, 31, 81100, Caserta, Italy.
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Liu Y, Xing H, Gao Y, Bian X, Fu X, DiFabrizio B, Wang H. Disrupting the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Attenuates the Difference in Decision-Making for Altruistic Punishment Between the Gain and Loss Contexts. Brain Topogr 2024:10.1007/s10548-023-01029-9. [PMID: 38200358 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-023-01029-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Altruistic punishment is a primary response to social norms violations; its neural mechanism has also attracted extensive research attention. In the present studies, we applied a low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) while participants engaged in a modified Ultimatum Game (Study 1) and third-party punishment game (Study 2) to explore how the bilateral DLPFC disruption affects people's perception of violation of fairness norms and altruistic punishment decision in the gain and loss contexts. Typically, punishers intervene more often against and show more social outrage towards Dictators/Proposers who unfairly distribute losses than those who unfairly share gains. We found that disrupting the function of the left DLPFC in the second-party punishment and the bilateral DLPFC in the third-party punishment with rTMS effectively obliterated this difference, making participants punish unfairly shared gains as often as they usually would punish unfairly shared losses. In the altruistic punishment of maintaining the social fairness norms, the inhibition of the right DLPFC function will affect the deviation of individual information integration ability; the inhibition of the left DLPFC function will affect the assessment of the degree of violation of fairness norms and weaken impulse control, leading to attenuate the moderating effect of gain and loss contexts on altruistic punishment. Our findings emphasize that DLPFC is closely related to altruistic punishment and provide causal neuroscientific evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingjie Liu
- School of Public Health, North China University of Science and Technology, 21 Bohai Avenue, Caofeidian District, Tangshan, Hebei, China
- School of Psychology and Mental Health, North China University of Science and Technology, 21 Bohai Avenue, Caofeidian District, Tangshan, Hebei, China
| | - Hongbo Xing
- School of Psychology and Mental Health, North China University of Science and Technology, 21 Bohai Avenue, Caofeidian District, Tangshan, Hebei, China
| | - Yuan Gao
- School of Psychology and Mental Health, North China University of Science and Technology, 21 Bohai Avenue, Caofeidian District, Tangshan, Hebei, China
| | - Xiaohua Bian
- School of Educational Science, International Joint Laboratory of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, Zhengzhou Normal University, No.16 Yingcai Street, Huiji District, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xin Fu
- School of Psychology and Mental Health, North China University of Science and Technology, 21 Bohai Avenue, Caofeidian District, Tangshan, Hebei, China
| | | | - He Wang
- School of Public Health, North China University of Science and Technology, 21 Bohai Avenue, Caofeidian District, Tangshan, Hebei, China.
- School of Psychology and Mental Health, North China University of Science and Technology, 21 Bohai Avenue, Caofeidian District, Tangshan, Hebei, China.
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10
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de Lucena AT, Dos Santos TTBA, Santos PFA, Dourado MCN. Affective theory of mind in people with mild and moderate Alzheimer's disease. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2023; 38:e6032. [PMID: 38038609 DOI: 10.1002/gps.6032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study compared the affective theory of mind (ToM) of people with mild and moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) and healthy older adults and also investigated the relationship between affective ToM and cognitive and clinical functioning in AD people. METHODS This cross-sectional study included 156 older adults with AD and 40 healthy older adults. We used an experimental task involving reasoning processes in different contextual situations. RESULTS The affective ToM was impaired in AD groups compared with healthy group, with moderate AD group showing lower performance than mild AD group. The affective ToM task of mild AD group was significantly correlated with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and education years. Linear regression showed only education years as a predictor of ToM task performance. The neuropsychiatric symptoms and functionality were not correlated with the affective ToM. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrated that people with mild and moderate AD presented impairments in affective ToM that can be explained by the difficulties to infer emotion from reasoning processes. In addition, the education years variable proved to be an affective ToM performance's predictor for the mild AD group, but not for the moderate AD group, indicating that ToM abilities are affected differently in different stages of AD. Neuropsychiatric symptoms and functionality seem to have no influence on affective ToM impairments in people with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Tavares de Lucena
- Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Paulo Fernando Alves Santos
- Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Márcia Cristina Nascimento Dourado
- Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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11
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Jordan N, Emanuelle R. Hands off, brain off? A meta-analysis of neuroimaging data during active and passive driving. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e3272. [PMID: 37828722 PMCID: PMC10726911 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Car driving is more and more automated, to such an extent that driving without active steering control is becoming a reality. Although active driving requires the use of visual information to guide actions (i.e., steering the vehicle), passive driving only requires looking at the driving scene without any need to act (i.e., the human is passively driven). MATERIALS & METHODS After a careful search of the scientific literature, 11 different studies, providing 17 contrasts, were used to run a comprehensive meta-analysis contrasting active driving with passive driving. RESULTS Two brain regions were recruited more consistently for active driving compared to passive driving, the left precentral gyrus (BA3 and BA4) and the left postcentral gyrus (BA4 and BA3/40), whereas a set of brain regions was recruited more consistently in passive driving compared to active driving: the left middle frontal gyrus (BA6), the right anterior lobe and the left posterior lobe of the cerebellum, the right sub-lobar thalamus, the right anterior prefrontal cortex (BA10), the right inferior occipital gyrus (BA17/18/19), the right inferior temporal gyrus (BA37), and the left cuneus (BA17). DISCUSSION From a theoretical perspective, these findings support the idea that the output requirement of the visual scanning process engaged for the same activity can trigger different cerebral pathways, associated with different cognitive processes. A dorsal stream dominance was found during active driving, whereas a ventral stream dominance was obtained during passive driving. From a practical perspective, and contrary to the dominant position in the Human Factors community, our findings support the idea that a transition from passive to active driving would remain challenging as passive and active driving engage distinct neural networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navarro Jordan
- Laboratoire d'Etude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082)Université de LyonBron Cedex, LyonFrance
- Institut Universitaire de FranceParisFrance
| | - Reynaud Emanuelle
- Laboratoire d'Etude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082)Université de LyonBron Cedex, LyonFrance
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12
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Pitcher D, Sliwinska MW, Kaiser D. TMS disruption of the lateral prefrontal cortex increases neural activity in the default mode network when naming facial expressions. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2023; 18:nsad072. [PMID: 38048419 PMCID: PMC10695328 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsad072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Recognizing facial expressions is dependent on multiple brain networks specialized for different cognitive functions. In the current study, participants (N = 20) were scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), while they performed a covert facial expression naming task. Immediately prior to scanning thetaburst transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was delivered over the right lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC), or the vertex control site. A group whole-brain analysis revealed that TMS induced opposite effects in the neural responses across different brain networks. Stimulation of the right PFC (compared to stimulation of the vertex) decreased neural activity in the left lateral PFC but increased neural activity in three nodes of the default mode network (DMN): the right superior frontal gyrus, right angular gyrus and the bilateral middle cingulate gyrus. A region of interest analysis showed that TMS delivered over the right PFC reduced neural activity across all functionally localised face areas (including in the PFC) compared to TMS delivered over the vertex. These results suggest that visually recognizing facial expressions is dependent on the dynamic interaction of the face-processing network and the DMN. Our study also demonstrates the utility of combined TMS/fMRI studies for revealing the dynamic interactions between different functional brain networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Pitcher
- Department of Psychology, University of York, Heslington, York YO105DD, UK
| | | | - Daniel Kaiser
- Mathematical Institute, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Physics, Geography, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Gießen 35392, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behaviour, Philipps-Universität Marburg, and Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Marburg 35032, Germany
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13
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Han YM, Chan MM, Shea CK, Mo FY, Yiu KW, Chung RC, Cheung MC, Chan AS. Effects of prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation on social functioning in autism spectrum disorder: A randomized clinical trial. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2023; 27:2465-2482. [PMID: 37151094 DOI: 10.1177/13623613231169547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Currently available pharmacological and behavioral interventions for adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) yield only modest effect in alleviating their core behavioral and cognitive symptoms, and some of these treatment options are associated with undesirable side effects. Hence, developing effective treatment protocols is urgently needed. Given emerging evidence shows that the abnormal connections of the frontal brain regions contribute to the manifestations of ASD behavioral and cognitive impairments, noninvasive treatment modalities that are capable in modulating brain connections, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), have been postulated to be potentially promising for alleviating core symptoms in ASD. However, whether tDCS can reduce behavioral symptoms and enhance cognitive performance in ASD remains unclear. This randomized controlled trial involving 105 adolescents and young adults with ASD showed that multiple sessions of a tDCS protocol, which was paired up with computerized cognitive training, was effective in improving social functioning in adolescents and young adults with ASD. No prolonged and serious side effects were observed. With more future studies conducted in different clinical settings that recruit participants from a wider age range, this tDCS protocol may be potentially beneficial to a broad spectrum of individuals with autism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melody My Chan
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
- The University of Queensland, Australia
| | - Caroline Ks Shea
- Hospital Authority, Hong Kong
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Flora Ym Mo
- Hospital Authority, Hong Kong
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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14
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Trompeta C, Gasca-Salas C, Pineda-Pardo JA, Guida P, Cohn M, Mata-Marín D, Monje MH, López-Aguirre M, Obeso I, Sánchez Ferro Á. Longitudinal assessment of social cognition in de novo Parkinson's disease patients and its relationship with dopaminergic innervation. Behav Brain Res 2023; 454:114654. [PMID: 37659457 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social Cognition (SC) has been scarcely studied in Parkinson's disease (PD), and findings in early disease are controversial. SC encompasses different capacities such as facial emotion recognition (FER); Theory of Mind (ToM), the ability to understand other people's intentions (cognitive-ToM) and emotions (affective-ToM); and self-monitoring, the ability to regulate one's own behavior in social contexts. A relationship between dopaminergic deficit and SC in PD has been suggested. OBJECTIVES To prospectively assess, over a two-year period, SC in newly diagnosed drug-naïve, cognitively normal and non-depressed PD patients. Furthermore, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between SC and Fluorodopa (Positron Emission Tomography) Ki uptake, which is a marker of dopaminergic depletion. METHODS We compared SC performance between 25 de novo PD patients and 20 healthy controls (HC), and within-patients at baseline and two-year follow-up. The SC assessment included FER, ToM, as well as self-monitoring measures. The relationship between SC and dopaminergic innervation was also assessed in patients. RESULTS SC scores did not differ between PD and HC groups at baseline, nor between baseline and follow-up evaluation in PD. A significant positive correlation between self-monitoring and Fluorodopa Ki uptake in the left pallidum in PD patients was found at baseline. At follow-up, ToM (stories) positively correlated with Fluorodopa Ki uptake in the right thalamus and the left putamen. CONCLUSION SC appears to be preserved in de novo PD and remains stable in the short-term. Although more evidence is needed, our results support a relationship between dopamine innervation in subcortical regions and SC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Trompeta
- HM CINAC (Centro Integral de Neurociencias Abarca Campal), Hospital Universitario HM Puerta del Sur, HM Hospitales. Madrid, Spain; PhD Program in Health Sciences, University of Alcala de Henares Alcalá de Henares, Madrid 28054, Spain
| | - Carmen Gasca-Salas
- HM CINAC (Centro Integral de Neurociencias Abarca Campal), Hospital Universitario HM Puerta del Sur, HM Hospitales. Madrid, Spain; Network Center for Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Instituto Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; University CEU-San Pablo, Madrid, Spain.
| | - José A Pineda-Pardo
- HM CINAC (Centro Integral de Neurociencias Abarca Campal), Hospital Universitario HM Puerta del Sur, HM Hospitales. Madrid, Spain
| | - Pasqualina Guida
- HM CINAC (Centro Integral de Neurociencias Abarca Campal), Hospital Universitario HM Puerta del Sur, HM Hospitales. Madrid, Spain; PhD Program in Neuroscience, Autónoma de Madrid University-Cajal Institute, Madrid 28029, Spain
| | | | - David Mata-Marín
- HM CINAC (Centro Integral de Neurociencias Abarca Campal), Hospital Universitario HM Puerta del Sur, HM Hospitales. Madrid, Spain; PhD Program in Neuroscience, Autónoma de Madrid University-Cajal Institute, Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Mariana Hg Monje
- HM CINAC (Centro Integral de Neurociencias Abarca Campal), Hospital Universitario HM Puerta del Sur, HM Hospitales. Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel López-Aguirre
- HM CINAC (Centro Integral de Neurociencias Abarca Campal), Hospital Universitario HM Puerta del Sur, HM Hospitales. Madrid, Spain; PhD Program in Physics, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Obeso
- HM CINAC (Centro Integral de Neurociencias Abarca Campal), Hospital Universitario HM Puerta del Sur, HM Hospitales. Madrid, Spain; Network Center for Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Instituto Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Álvaro Sánchez Ferro
- HM CINAC (Centro Integral de Neurociencias Abarca Campal), Hospital Universitario HM Puerta del Sur, HM Hospitales. Madrid, Spain
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Clemente L, Gasparre D, Alfeo F, Battista F, Abbatantuono C, Curci A, Lanciano T, Taurisano P. Theory of Mind and Executive Functions in Individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment or Healthy Aging. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1356. [PMID: 37891725 PMCID: PMC10605804 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13101356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Social cognition involves skills for maintaining harmonious personal and social relationships throughout life. Social cognition issues, including Theory of Mind (ToM), can significantly impact the well-being of older individuals and intensify with the onset of neurological conditions. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a state between healthy and pathological neurocognitive aging, where monitoring social functions is crucial. Despite numerous studies on ToM challenges in older adults and cognitive disorders, the underlying mechanisms remain debated. Uncertainty exists regarding whether ToM deficits are related to other cognitive functions, such as Executive Functions (EFs). Our study examined the correlation between EF and ToM performance in 32 MCI patients and 36 healthy elderly controls. The findings revealed a link between EF and ToM performance among healthy elderly individuals. Specifically, within the assessed EFs, the role of the working memory (WM) emerged. The study also highlighted distinctions between the MCI group and the healthy elderly group, showing that despite a general reduction in cognitive performance, the condition could impact these abilities in different ways. The study contributes to the literature, fostering comprehension of the mechanisms underlying ToM difficulties, while also paving the way for targeted interventions and enhanced clinical or preventative care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livio Clemente
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience (DiBraiN), University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70121 Bari, Italy; (L.C.); (D.G.); (C.A.); (P.T.)
| | - Daphne Gasparre
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience (DiBraiN), University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70121 Bari, Italy; (L.C.); (D.G.); (C.A.); (P.T.)
| | - Federica Alfeo
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70121 Bari, Italy; (F.B.); (A.C.); (T.L.)
| | - Fabiana Battista
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70121 Bari, Italy; (F.B.); (A.C.); (T.L.)
| | - Chiara Abbatantuono
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience (DiBraiN), University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70121 Bari, Italy; (L.C.); (D.G.); (C.A.); (P.T.)
| | - Antonietta Curci
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70121 Bari, Italy; (F.B.); (A.C.); (T.L.)
| | - Tiziana Lanciano
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70121 Bari, Italy; (F.B.); (A.C.); (T.L.)
| | - Paolo Taurisano
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience (DiBraiN), University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70121 Bari, Italy; (L.C.); (D.G.); (C.A.); (P.T.)
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16
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Ferrari E, Butti N, Gagliardi C, Romaniello R, Borgatti R, Urgesi C. Cognitive predictors of Social processing in congenital atypical development. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:3343-3355. [PMID: 35729297 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05630-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
According to current accounts of social cognition, the emergence of verbal and non-verbal components of social perception might rely on the acquisition of different cognitive abilities. These components might be differently sensitive to the pattern of neuropsychological impairments in congenital neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we explored the association between social and non-social cognitive domains by administering subtests of the NEPSY-II battery to 92 patients with Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD). Regardless the level of intellectual functioning and presence of congenital brain malformations, results revealed that visuospatial skills predicted emotion recognition and verbal component of Theory of Mind, whereas imitation predicted the non-verbal one. Future interventions might focus on spatial and sensorimotor abilities to boost the development of social cognition in IDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Ferrari
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Neuropsychiatry and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy.
| | - Niccolò Butti
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Neuropsychiatry and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
- PhD Program in Neural and Cognitive Sciences, Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Chiara Gagliardi
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Neuropsychiatry and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
- SPAEE, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
| | - Romina Romaniello
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Neuropsychiatry and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Renato Borgatti
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Cosimo Urgesi
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Neuropsychiatry and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Languages and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
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17
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Jha M, Sharma V, Anthony A. Neurocognitive and behavioral predictors of theory of mind (ToM) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Ind Psychiatry J 2023; 32:402-409. [PMID: 38161477 PMCID: PMC10756615 DOI: 10.4103/ipj.ipj_7_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Investigating the core component of social cognition, known as the theory of mind (ToM), becomes imperative in patients with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) as they may present with social cognitive deficit-related disability interfering with patients' functional and behavioral status. Aims This study aimed to investigate the neurocognitive and behavioral predictors of the ToM in patients with traumatic brain injury (PtTBI). Settings and Design Thirty PtTBI and 30 healthy controls (HCs) were assessed on a set of tasks. Methods and Material The assessment included ToM tasks (cognitive and affective, verbal and nonverbal, and first-order and second-order) along with various neuropsychological (NP) assessments to explore their memory, executive functioning, and intelligence. Further, TBI participants also underwent behavioral and functional outcome measures using the Functional Status Examination (FSE) and the Neurobehavioral Rating Scale (NBRS). Statistical Analysis The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analyses. Results Findings confirmed ToM deficit across all modes of ToM tasks in PtTBI and implicated the role of executive function and working memory in the expression of ToM in this group. While cognitive faux pas (FPC) and first-order false belief together could explain poor performance on NBRS, the nonverbal ToM task predicts functional outcome in PtTBI. Conclusions These findings have practical implications as they promote cognitive remediation intervention focused on restoring ToM, which may improve functional limitations and resulting disability in PtTBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manisha Jha
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Dilshad Garden, Delhi, India
| | - Vibha Sharma
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Dilshad Garden, Delhi, India
| | - Aldrin Anthony
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Dilshad Garden, Delhi, India
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18
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Campos C, Rocha NB, Barbosa F. Dissociating cognitive and affective empathy across psychopathy dimensions: The role of interoception and alexithymia. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1082965. [PMID: 37457066 PMCID: PMC10345207 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1082965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
This study examined the associations between psychopathy dimensions (triarchic phenotypes and classical factors), empathy domains (cognitive and affective), and interoception (interoceptive attention and accuracy) while accounting for the putative role of alexithymia. A community sample (n = 515) completed an online survey encompassing: Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (boldness, meanness, disinhibition); Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (primary and secondary psychopathy); Body Perception Questionnaire (interoceptive attention); Interoceptive Accuracy Scale; Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Hierarchical linear regression models were implemented for hypothesis-driven analyses examining the associations between psychopathy, empathy, and interoception while controlling for sex, age, and alexithymia. Exploratory path models were employed to investigate alexithymia and/or cognitive empathy as mediators between interoception and psychopathy. Our results largely confirmed the postulated empathy profiles across psychopathy dimensions, as meanness and primary psychopathy displayed a broad empathy impairment, while disinhibition and secondary psychopathy were only associated with diminished cognitive empathy. Importantly, boldness displayed a unique pattern (enhanced cognitive empathy and reduced affective empathy), further reinforcing its importance within the constellation of psychopathy traits. Contrary to our hypotheses, self-perceived interoceptive attention and accuracy were not associated with either psychopathy dimension after controlling for alexithymia. However, interoceptive accuracy and alexithymia were associated with cognitive empathy, while alexithymia was also positively related to all psychopathy dimensions (as expected), despite the unexpected strong and negative association with boldness. Exploratory analyses suggested significant indirect effects (mediation) between interoceptive accuracy and psychopathy via alexithymia and/or cognitive empathy. These mediating effects must be interpreted with caution and future studies should be designed to formally test this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Campos
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Neurocognition Group|LabRP, School of Health, Center for Rehabilitation Research, Polytechnic University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Barbosa Rocha
- School of Health, Center for Translational Health and Medical Biotechnology Research, Polytechnic University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Fernando Barbosa
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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19
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Ellingsen DM, Isenburg K, Jung C, Lee J, Gerber J, Mawla I, Sclocco R, Grahl A, Anzolin A, Edwards RR, Kelley JM, Kirsch I, Kaptchuk TJ, Napadow V. Brain-to-brain mechanisms underlying pain empathy and social modulation of pain in the patient-clinician interaction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2212910120. [PMID: 37339198 PMCID: PMC10293846 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2212910120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Social interactions such as the patient-clinician encounter can influence pain, but the underlying dynamic interbrain processes are unclear. Here, we investigated the dynamic brain processes supporting social modulation of pain by assessing simultaneous brain activity (fMRI hyperscanning) from chronic pain patients and clinicians during video-based live interaction. Patients received painful and nonpainful pressure stimuli either with a supportive clinician present (Dyadic) or in isolation (Solo). In half of the dyads, clinicians performed a clinical consultation and intake with the patient prior to hyperscanning (Clinical Interaction), which increased self-reported therapeutic alliance. For the other half, patient-clinician hyperscanning was completed without prior clinical interaction (No Interaction). Patients reported lower pain intensity in the Dyadic, relative to the Solo, condition. In Clinical Interaction dyads relative to No Interaction, patients evaluated their clinicians as better able to understand their pain, and clinicians were more accurate when estimating patients' pain levels. In Clinical Interaction dyads, compared to No Interaction, patients showed stronger activation of the dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC and vlPFC) and primary (S1) and secondary (S2) somatosensory areas (Dyadic-Solo contrast), and clinicians showed increased dynamic dlPFC concordance with patients' S2 activity during pain. Furthermore, the strength of S2-dlPFC concordance was positively correlated with self-reported therapeutic alliance. These findings support that empathy and supportive care can reduce pain intensity and shed light on the brain processes underpinning social modulation of pain in patient-clinician interactions. Our findings further suggest that clinicians' dlPFC concordance with patients' somatosensory processing during pain can be boosted by increasing therapeutic alliance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Mikael Ellingsen
- Department of Physics and Computational Radiology, Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo0372, Norway
- Department of Psychology, Pedagogy and Law, School of Health Sciences, Kristiania University College, Oslo0107, Norway
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Kylie Isenburg
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Changjin Jung
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
- KM Research Science Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon461-24, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeungchan Lee
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Jessica Gerber
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Ishtiaq Mawla
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Roberta Sclocco
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
- Department of Radiology, Logan University, Chesterfield, MO63017
| | - Arvina Grahl
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Alessandra Anzolin
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Robert R. Edwards
- Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA02115
| | - John M. Kelley
- School of Social Sciences, Communication, and Humanities, Endicott College, Beverley, MA02115
- Program in Placebo Studies & Therapeutic Encounter, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02215
| | - Irving Kirsch
- Program in Placebo Studies & Therapeutic Encounter, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02215
| | - Ted J. Kaptchuk
- Program in Placebo Studies & Therapeutic Encounter, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02215
| | - Vitaly Napadow
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
- Department of Radiology, Logan University, Chesterfield, MO63017
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20
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Langenbach BP, Koelkebeck K, Knoch D. Mentalising and depression: a mini-review on behavior, neural substrates, and treatment options. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1116306. [PMID: 37398589 PMCID: PMC10308027 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1116306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depression is one of the most common mental disorders, affecting millions of people around the globe. In recent years, researchers increasingly investigated social cognition in depression and discovered pronounced alterations. A special focus has been put on mentalising or Theory of Mind, the ability to recognize and understand another person's thoughts and feelings. While there is behavioral evidence for deficits in this ability in patients with depression as well as specialized therapeutic interventions, the neuroscientific substrates are only beginning to be understood. In this mini-review, we take a social neuroscience perspective to analyse the importance of altered mentalising in depression and whether it can help to understand the origins and perpetuation of the disorder. We will put a special focus on treatment options and corresponding neural changes to identify relevant paths for future (neuroscientific) research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt P. Langenbach
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, LVR University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Katja Koelkebeck
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, LVR University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Daria Knoch
- Department of Social Neuroscience and Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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21
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Winters DE, Leopold DR, Carter RM, Sakai JT. Resting-state connectivity underlying cognitive control's association with perspective taking in callous-unemotional traits. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2023; 331:111615. [PMID: 36924739 PMCID: PMC10133184 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2023.111615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits are often associated with impairments in perspective taking and cognitive control (regulating goal directed behavior); and adolescents with CU traits demonstrate aberrant brain activation/connectivity in areas underlying these processes. Together cognitive control and perspective taking are thought to link mechanistically to explain CU traits. Because increased cognitive control demands modulate perspective taking ability among both typically developing samples and individuals with elevated CU traits, understanding the neurophysiological substrates of these constructs could inform efforts to alleviate societal costs of antisocial behavior. The present study uses GIMME to examine the heterogenous functional brain properties (i.e., connection density, node centrality) underlying cognitive control's influence on perspective taking among adolescents on a CU trait continuum. Results reveal that cognitive control had a negative indirect association with CU traits via perspective taking; and brain connectivity indirectly associated with lower CU traits - specifically the social network via perspective taking and conflict network via cognitive control. Additionally, less negative connection density between the social and conflict networks was directly associated with higher CU traits. Our results support the growing literature on cognitive control's influence on socio-cognitive functioning in CU traits and extends that work by identifying underlying functional brain properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drew E Winters
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, CO, USA.
| | - Daniel R Leopold
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, CO, USA; Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - R McKell Carter
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA; Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA, Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Joseph T Sakai
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, CO, USA
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22
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Song Z, Jones A, Corcoran R, Daly N, Abu-Akel A, Gillespie SM. Psychopathic Traits and Theory of Mind Task Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 151:105231. [PMID: 37172923 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
This meta-analysis aims to examine the relationship between psychopathic traits and theory of mind (ToM), which is classically and broadly defined as competency in representing and attributing mental states such as emotions, intentions, and beliefs to others. Our search strategy gathered 142 effect sizes, from 42 studies, with a total sample size of 7463 participants. Random effects models were used to analyze the data. Our findings suggested that psychopathic traits are associated with impaired ToM task performance. This relationship was not moderated by age, population, psychopathy measurement (self-report versus clinical checklist) or conceptualization, or ToM task type (cognitive versus affective). The effect also remained significant after excluding tasks that did not require the participant to 1) mentalize or 2) differentiate self and other perspectives. However, interpersonal/affective traits were associated with a more pronounced impairment in ToM task performance compared to lifestyle/antisocial traits. Future research should investigate the effects of distinct psychopathy facets that will allow for a more precise understanding of the social-cognitive bases of relevant clinical presentations in psychopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaorong Song
- Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
| | - Andrew Jones
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
| | - Rhiannon Corcoran
- Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
| | - Natasha Daly
- Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
| | - Ahmad Abu-Akel
- Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Steven M Gillespie
- Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
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23
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Salhi IS, Lancelot C, Marzouki Y, Souissi W, Besbes AN, Le Gall D, Bellaj T. Assessing the construct validity of a theory of mind battery adapted to Tunisian school-aged children. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:974174. [PMID: 36970273 PMCID: PMC10035413 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.974174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Theory of mind (ToM) refers to the ability to understand others' states of mind, desires, emotions, beliefs, and intentions to predict the content of their mental representations. Two major dimensions within ToM have been studied. The first is the type of inferred mental state, which can be cognitive or affective. The second comprises the types of processes involved according to their degree of complexity (first- and second-order false belief and advanced ToM). ToM acquisition is fundamental-a key component in the development of everyday human social interactions. ToM deficits have been reported in various neurodevelopmental disorders through various tools assessing disparate facets of social cognition. Nevertheless, Tunisian practitioners and researchers lack a linguistically and culturally appropriate psychometric tool for ToM assessment among school-aged children. Objective To assess the construct validity of a translated and adapted French ToM Battery for Arabic-speaking Tunisian school-aged children. Methods The focal ToM Battery was designed with neuropsychological and neurodevelopmental theory and composed of 10 subtests distributed evenly in three parts: Pre-conceptual, cognitive, and affective ToM. Translated and adapted to the Tunisian sociocultural context, this ToM battery was individually administered to 179 neurotypical Tunisian children (90 girls and 89 boys) aged 7-12 years. Results After controlling for the age effect, construct validity was empirically confirmed on two dimensions (cognitive and affective) via structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis, demonstrating that this solution has a good fit. The results confirmed that the age affected differentially the performance obtained on ToM tasks based on the two components of the battery. Conclusion Our findings confirm that the Tunisian version of the ToM Battery has robust construct validity for the assessment of cognitive and affective ToM in Tunisian school-aged children; hence, it could be adopted in clinical and research settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imène Soumaya Salhi
- Tunis University, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities at Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Céline Lancelot
- Laboratoire de Psychologie des Pays de la Loire (LPPL), Université d’Angers, Angers, France
| | - Yousri Marzouki
- Psychology Program, Department of Social Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Wided Souissi
- Tunis University, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities at Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Aya Nejiba Besbes
- Tunis University, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities at Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Didier Le Gall
- Laboratoire de Psychologie des Pays de la Loire (LPPL), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) d’Angers, Université d’Angers, Angers, France
| | - Tarek Bellaj
- Psychology Program, Department of Social Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
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24
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Zaidel DW. The art of film: Perspective on neural clues to repeated attraction to movie watching. Neuropsychologia 2023; 180:108485. [PMID: 36680933 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
This article about possible neural underpinning of repeated attraction to watching movies is dedicated to the memory of Prof. Eran Zaidel, who made outstanding contributions to neuroscience (and loved watching movies). The film is an art form crafted by multiple artists from diverse fields, contributing specialized skills, talents, and creativity to the final product. Attention-attraction to all artworks has deep biological roots. Movies have been attracting audiences repeatedly ever since they were introduced over 100 years ago. Although countless studies analyzed the nature of the art, the neural underpinning of repeated attraction to viewing movies has been understudied. Here, clues gleaned from non-film findings are proposed. The perspective suggests that functions of the mesolimbic "reward pathway" associated with pleasure and joy, the brain regions responding to facial beauty, to pictorial art aesthetics, and to music listening with increased dopamine levels are all recruited in the repeated attraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- D W Zaidel
- Dept. of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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25
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Williams R, Andreassi S, Moselli M, Fantini F, Tanzilli A, Lingiardi V, Laghi F. Relationship between Executive Functions, Social Cognition, and Attachment State of Mind in Adolescence: An Explorative Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2836. [PMID: 36833531 PMCID: PMC9957111 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20042836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The passage from pre-adolescence to adolescence is presented as a turning point for the achievement of those abilities in social understanding as they commonly appear in adulthood. Developmental perspectives point to the possible role of neuro-cognitive maturation and social experiences to facilitate this growth. This paper has the goal to goalsto propose a valid and reliable measure of the new quantitative and qualitative advancements in social understanding occurring in the adolescent passage; relying on this, the research has two main objectives (a) to establish the associations between the advancements in social understanding and the executive functions held responsible for the neuro-cognitive rearrangements of adolescence; (c) to evidence the significant associations between attachment models and the development of social understanding in this phase of life. METHODS 100 subjects (50 boys and 50 girls, aged 11-15) were administered with AICA, SCORS, CNT, Stroop Color-Word Test, and WISC-III. RESULTS Advancements in the complexity of self-other representations and mentalization of interpersonal exchanges significantly occurs in the passage from pre-adolescence to adolescence and seem to be promoted by increased performances in executive control and cognitive shifting. Dismissing state of mind with respect to attachment is associated with lower development of social understanding in adolescence. The neurocognitive reorganization that underlies the passage from pre-adolescence to adolescence seems to provide the scaffolding for more sophisticated interpretations of the social world. Past and current affective experience can boost or hinder the full deployment of such human maturational potential. Given the importance of social cognition for adjustment and psychopathology, clinical intervention should target the amelioration of individual and family abilities in social reasoning and mentalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Williams
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza—University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Andreassi
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza—University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Moselli
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza—University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Fiorella Fantini
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza—University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Annalisa Tanzilli
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza—University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Vittorio Lingiardi
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza—University of Rome, Via degli Apuli 1, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Fiorenzo Laghi
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza—University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
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Olivito G, Siciliano L, Clausi S, Lupo M, Baiocco R, Gragnani A, Saettoni M, Delle Chiaie R, Laghi F, Leggio M. The Cerebellum Gets Social: Evidence from an Exploratory Study of Cerebellar, Neurodevelopmental, and Psychiatric Disorders. Biomedicines 2023; 11:309. [PMID: 36830846 PMCID: PMC9953169 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11020309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Social prediction is a key feature of social cognition (SC), a function in which the modulating role of the cerebellum is recognized. Accordingly, cerebellar alterations are reported in cerebellar pathologies, neurodevelopmental disorders, and psychiatric conditions that show SC deficits. Nevertheless, to date, no study has directly compared populations representative of these three conditions with respect to SC and cerebellar alterations. Therefore, the present exploratory study aimed to compare the SC profiles of individuals with cerebellar neurodegenerative disorders (CB), autism (ASD), bipolar disorder type 2 (BD2), or healthy subjects (HS) using a battery of social tests requiring different degrees of prediction processing. The patterns of cerebellar gray matter (GM) alterations were compared among the groups using voxel-based morphometry. Compared to HS, the clinical groups showed common SC deficits in tasks involving a moderate to high level of prediction. The behavioral results of the clinical groups are consistent with the presence of overlapping GM reduction in cerebellar right Crus II, an area notably involved in complex social processing and prediction. Although exploratory and preliminary, these results deepen the cerebellar role in social prediction and highlight the transdiagnostic value of the cerebellum in social functioning and prediction in pathologies of different aetiologies, forecasting novel possibilities for shared interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giusy Olivito
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Ataxia Laboratory, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
| | - Libera Siciliano
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Ataxia Laboratory, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Clausi
- Ataxia Laboratory, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
- Klinikos Center for Psychodiagnostics and Psychotherapy, Viale delle Milizie 38, 00192 Roma, Italy
| | - Michela Lupo
- Servizio di Tutela della Salute Mentale e Riabilitazione dell’Età Evolutiva ASL, Roma 2, 00145 Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Baiocco
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Andrea Gragnani
- Scuola di Psicoterapia Cognitiva SPC, 58100 Grosseto, Italy
- Associazione Psicologia Cognitiva (APC)/Scuola di Psicoterapia Cognitiva (SPC), 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Saettoni
- Scuola di Psicoterapia Cognitiva SPC, 58100 Grosseto, Italy
- Unità Funzionale Salute Mentale Adulti ASL Toscana Nord-Ovest Valle del Serchio, 56121 Pisa, Italy
| | - Roberto Delle Chiaie
- Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health–Policlinico Umberto I Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Fiorenzo Laghi
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Leggio
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Ataxia Laboratory, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
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Isernia S, Rossetto F, Shamay-Tsoory S, Marchetti A, Baglio F. Standardization and normative data of the 48-item Yoni short version for the assessment of theory of mind in typical and atypical conditions. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 14:1048599. [PMID: 36711213 PMCID: PMC9877508 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1048599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The Yoni task is a computerized tool assessing first-and second-order affective and cognitive Theory of Mind (ToM), accounting for the multidimensional and multi-level mentalizing features. The Italian Yoni task has been validated and standardized in its 98-item version, and a 48-item short version has been proposed for a quick digital evaluation of ToM in clinical contexts. Methods The present study aimed to test the Yoni-48's convergent validity, correlating the tool score with the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test (ET) and Gender Test (GT), its items discrimination ability through the Classical Test Theory, and Rash model, its reliability by evaluating the internal consistency (McDonald's ω, Cronbach's α, Guttman's λ 2, and Guttman's λ 6) and Spearman-Brown ϱSP split-half analysis, and to provide standardization and normative data in the Italian population. Results Results suggested a good convergent validity with a statistically significant association with ET (p < 0.001), while a null correlation was observed with GT (p = 0.947). The Classical Test Theory and Rash model confirmed a good discrimination ability of the Yoni-48's second-order affective and cognitive ToM items, while weaker discrimination capacity was registered for the first-order ToM items. The inter-item reliability was optimal for clinical purposes (ω, α, λ 2, λ 6 ≥ 0.90). Also, the split-half reliability was high (Spearman-Brown ϱSP = 0.90). For standardization, age and education were revealed as significant predictors of Yoni accuracy scores, except for the first-order ToM score. Instead, age was the only predictor of Yoni's response speed score. The Italian normative data showed a high Yoni accuracy in healthy adults (mean accuracy = 0.85) and speed (mean response time = 0.92). Finally, both accuracy and response time level was balanced between the affective and cognitive components of ToM. Discussion This study supports the psychometric properties of the Yoni-48 and provides normative data for the Italian population. Further studies are needed to test the suitability of this short version for profiling the social cognition neurocognitive phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Isernia
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Rossetto
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Milan, Italy,*Correspondence: Federica Rossetto,
| | | | - Antonella Marchetti
- Research Unit on Theory of Mind, Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
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Interconnections between Emotion Recognition, Self-Processes and Psychological Well-Being in Adolescents. ADOLESCENTS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/adolescents3010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background: Adolescence is a critical developmental period for mentalization and emotion regulation skills. Studies show that during this time, adolescents may experience greater vulnerability to challenges of mental and emotional well-being. Studies also show that self-skills, such as mentalization, self-compassion, and self-control are independently associated with feelings of global self-worth or psychological well-being. To date, no known studies have explored interconnected relations among these self-skills, despite significant overlaps in the social-biological development of these skills. Aims: To investigate interconnected relations among psychological well-being, mentalization, self-compassion and self-control. Gender differences in these relations are explored. Method: As part of a larger, longitudinal study of adolescent well-being, this cross-sectional study drew on a variety of self-report measures, investigating relations among adolescents’ self-reports of psychological well-being, emotion recognition, self-control, and self-compassion. Participants consisted of 88 girls and 57 boys, mean age 13.38. Results: Main results showed associations among emotion recognition, self-control and self-compassion and feelings of global self-worth. Specifically, results showed that understanding negative emotions in others relates to lower levels of self-compassion and feelings of self-worth. Further, adolescents who report low levels of self-control reported uncompassionate self-responding and lower levels of self-worth. Gender differences and implications for further research and adolescent social-emotional interventions are discussed.
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29
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Dorris L, Young D, Barlow J, Byrne K, Hoyle R. Cognitive empathy across the lifespan. Dev Med Child Neurol 2022; 64:1524-1531. [PMID: 35594529 PMCID: PMC9790591 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.15263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
AIM To describe the development of cognitive empathy across the lifespan from a very large cohort using a standardized measure of cognitive empathy ability. METHOD Participants (n=4545, age bands <5y to >75y, 60% female) were a convenience sample recruited voluntarily from visitors to the Glasgow Science Centre in the UK, who completed the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test. RESULTS When compared to preceding age groups, we found significant developmental gains in empathy ability in children aged 6 to 7 years (p=0.048, d=0.45) and again at 10 to 12 years (p=0.042, d=0.23), followed by a slight reduction in ability during adolescence (p=0.087, d=-0.18), and functional maturity in those aged 19 to 25 years (p=0.001, d=0.76). Cognitive empathy abilities remained relatively stable across adulthood but gradually declined in people over 65 years, with notable decline in males over 75 years (p=0.001, d=-0.98). Females performed better than males at all ages. INTERPRETATION Understanding developmental issues in cognitive empathy could influence approaches to moral and social education for children, and health and social care support for older people. Standardized cognitive empathy tests could also provide novel approaches in the early detection of developmental vulnerabilities in a range of neurological conditions, and within neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders in which cognitive empathy is known to be impaired. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS Cognitive empathy is a late-developing ability and changes across the lifespan. Cognitive empathy increases during childhood but with potentially altered abilities during adolescence. Cognitive empathy matures during early adulthood and gradually declines in older age. There is a female advantage in cognitive empathy abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Dorris
- Paediatric Neurosciences Research GroupRoyal Hospital for ChildrenGlasgow,Institute of Health & Wellbeing, Medical Veterinary & Life SciencesUniversity of GlasgowGlasgow
| | - David Young
- Department of Mathematics and StatisticsUniversity of StrathclydeGlasgow
| | - Jill Barlow
- Department of Mathematics and StatisticsUniversity of StrathclydeGlasgow
| | - Karl Byrne
- Glasgow Science Centre, Pacific QuayGlasgowUK
| | - Robin Hoyle
- Glasgow Science Centre, Pacific QuayGlasgowUK
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Micheli L, Negrini M, Schuhmann T, Riedl A. Brain stimulation reveals distinct motives underlying reciprocal punishment and reward. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20221590. [PMID: 36321495 PMCID: PMC9627709 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Reciprocal fairness, in the form of punishment and reward, is at the core of human societal order. Its underlying neural mechanisms are, however, not fully understood. We systemize suggestive evidence regarding the involvement of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rDLPFC) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in reciprocal fairness in three cognitive mechanisms (cognitive control, domain-general and self-reference). We test them and provide novel insights in a comprehensive behavioural experiment with non-invasive brain stimulation where participants can punish greedy actions and reward generous actions. Brain stimulation of either brain area decreases reward and punishment when reciprocation is costly but unexpectedly increases reward when it is non-costly. None of the hypothesized mechanisms fully accounts for the observed behaviour, and the asymmetric involvement of the investigated brain areas in punishment and reward suggests that different psychological mechanisms are underlying punishing selfishness and rewarding generosity. We propose that, for reciprocal punishment, the rDLPFC and the mPFC process self-relevant information, in terms of both personal cost and personal involvement; for reciprocal reward, these brain regions are involved in controlling selfish and pure reciprocity motives, while simultaneously promoting the enforcement of fairness norms. These insights bear importance for endeavours to build biologically plausible models of human behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leticia Micheli
- Institute of Psychology, Würzburg University, Würzburg, Germany,Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management & Maastricht University – Center of Neuroeconomics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Marcello Negrini
- Department of Microeconomics and Public Economics & Maastricht University – Center of Neuroeconomics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands,Open Evidence Research, Milan, Italy,Paris School of Economics, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Teresa Schuhmann
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Arno Riedl
- Department of Microeconomics and Public Economics & Maastricht University – Center of Neuroeconomics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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31
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Menardi A, Momi D, Vallesi A, Barabási AL, Towlson EK, Santarnecchi E. Maximizing brain networks engagement via individualized connectome-wide target search. Brain Stimul 2022; 15:1418-1431. [PMID: 36252908 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2022.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years, the possibility to noninvasively interact with the human brain has led to unprecedented diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities. However, the vast majority of approved interventions and approaches still rely on anatomical landmarks and rarely on the individual structure of networks in the brain, drastically reducing the potential efficacy of neuromodulation. OBJECTIVE Here we implemented a target search algorithm leveraging on mathematical tools from Network Control Theory (NCT) and whole brain connectomics analysis. By means of computational simulations, we aimed to identify the optimal stimulation target(s)- at the individual brain level- capable of reaching maximal engagement of the stimulated networks' nodes. RESULTS At the model level, in silico predictions suggest that stimulation of NCT-derived cerebral sites might induce significantly higher network engagement, compared to traditionally employed neuromodulation sites, demonstrating NCT to be a useful tool in guiding brain stimulation. Indeed, NCT allows us to computationally model different stimulation scenarios tailored on the individual structural connectivity profiles and initial brain states. CONCLUSIONS The use of NCT to computationally predict TMS pulse propagation suggests that individualized targeting is crucial for more successful network engagement. Future studies will be needed to verify such prediction in real stimulation scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Menardi
- Precision Neuroscience & Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neuroscience & Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Davide Momi
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio", Chieti, Italy; Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction & Mental Health, Toronto, Canada
| | - Antonino Vallesi
- Department of Neuroscience & Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Albert-László Barabási
- Network Science Institute and Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Network and Data Science, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Emma K Towlson
- Department of Computer Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Emiliano Santarnecchi
- Precision Neuroscience & Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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32
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The impact of executive dysfunctions on Theory of Mind abilities in Parkinson's disease. Neuropsychologia 2022; 176:108389. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Vass E, Simon V, Csukly G, Fekete Z, Kis B, Simon L. Virtual reality-based theory of mind intervention in schizophrenia: Preliminary efficacy results. Compr Psychiatry 2022; 119:152350. [PMID: 36272240 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2022.152350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years, a growing body of literature has supported the core nature and functional significance of Theory of Mind (ToM) deficit in schizophrenia. These findings have made ToM impairment a promising treatment target. However, despite the encouraging results, its complexity makes it difficult to develop new interventions and even to understand the exact nature and scope of the deficit. Yet, further investigation has suggested that using modern technology and multilevel assessment may help solve the problem. METHODS Virtual Reality-based Theory of Mind Intervention (VR-ToMIS) is a recently developed structured method using the combination of cognitive and behavioral therapeutic techniques and the advantages of Virtual Reality (VR) technology. A controlled study with a three-month follow-up was conducted with 42 patients (suffering from schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder) randomly assigned to either an experimental (VR-ToMIS) or control group (passive-VR). Repeated two-way factorial analysis of covariance was used to evaluate the effects of VR-ToMIS on symptoms, neuro- and social cognition, pragmatic skills, and quality of life when the effect of IQ was controlled. RESULTS Patients participating in VR-ToMIS showed significant improvements in all types of ToM tasks (except for hyper-ToM task, based on the results of Cartoon test, Faux pas test and and Baron-Cohen Minds in the Eyes Test) compared to the control group with moderate to large effect sizes. In the case of negative and cognitive symptoms, significant between-group differences were also supported. Improvement was moderated by IQ in the case of higher-order ToM, manner, and relevance implicatures. Results were proved to be sustainable three months after the treatment. CONCLUSION Although the presented results are considered preliminary, they support the potential of the integration of modern technology and traditional methods for future interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edit Vass
- Semmelweis University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, 1082 Balassa str 6, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Viktória Simon
- Semmelweis University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, 1082 Balassa str 6, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Csukly
- Semmelweis University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, 1082 Balassa str 6, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zita Fekete
- University of Debrecen, Institute of Behavioral Sciences, 22 Móricz Zsigmond körút, Debrecen 4032, Hungary
| | - Balázs Kis
- Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg County Hospital and University Teaching Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, 68 Szent István street, Nyíregyháza 4400, Hungary
| | - Lajos Simon
- Semmelweis University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, 1082 Balassa str 6, Budapest, Hungary
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Isernia S, MacPherson SE, Baksh RA, Bergsland N, Marchetti A, Baglio F, Massaro D. Italian adaptation of the Edinburgh Social Cognition Test (ESCoT): A new tool for the assessment of theory of mind and social norm understanding. Front Psychol 2022; 13:971187. [PMID: 36389515 PMCID: PMC9651931 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.971187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The relevance of social cognition assessment has been formally described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5. However, social cognition tools evaluating different socio-cognitive components for Italian-speaking populations are lacking. The Edinburgh Social Cognition Test (ESCoT) is a new social cognition measure that uses animations of everyday social interactions to assess (i) cognitive theory of mind, (ii) affective theory of mind, (iii) interpersonal social norm understanding, and (iv) intrapersonal social norm understanding. Previous studies have shown that the ESCoT is a sensitive measure of social cognition in healthy and clinical populations in the United Kingdom. This work aimed to adapt and validate the ESCoT in an Italian population of healthy adults. A translation-back-translation procedure was followed to create and refine the Italian version. Then, 94 healthy adults (47 females, mean age 35 ± 15.9) completed the ESCoT, a battery of conventional social cognition tests (Yoni; Reading the Mind in the Eyes Strange Stories, and Social Norm Questionnaire, SNQ) and measures of intelligence and executive functions. Reliability, convergent validity, and predictors of performance on the ESCoT were examined. Results demonstrated good reliability of the ESCoT and an association between the ESCoT scores and some traditional social cognition tests (Yoni cognitive subscale, SNQ). Hierarchical regression results showed that the ESCoT total score was associated with age. Also, the ESCoT subscore (intrapersonal social norm understanding) was associated with education. These findings support the ESCoT as a valid tool testing social norm understanding, a reliable measure of social cognition for an adult Italian population, and provides further evidence that the ESCoT is sensitive to age- and education-related changes in social cognition, and it is a task not affected by general cognitive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Isernia
- IRCCS Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation ONLUS, Milan, Italy
| | - Sarah E. MacPherson
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - R. Asaad Baksh
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Antonella Marchetti
- Research Unit on Theory of Mind, Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Davide Massaro
- Research Unit on Theory of Mind, Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
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Altavilla D, Adornetti I, Chiera A, Deriu V, Acciai A, Ferretti F. Introspective self-narrative modulates the neuronal response during the emphatic process: an event-related potentials (ERPs) study. Exp Brain Res 2022; 240:2725-2738. [PMID: 36066588 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-022-06441-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Empathy is the ability to perceive and understand others' emotional states generating a similar mental state in the self. Previous behavioural studies have shown that self-reflection can enhance the empathic process. The present event-related potentials' study aims to investigate whether self-reflection, elicited by an introspective self-narrative task, modulates the neuronal response to eye expressions and improves the accuracy of empathic process. The 29 participants included in the final sample were divided into two groups: an introspection group (IG) (n = 15), who received an introspective writing task, and a control group (CG) (n = 14), who completed a not-introspective writing task. For both groups, the electroencephalographic and behavioural responses to images depicting eye expressions taken from the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" Theory of Mind test were recorded pre- (T0) and post- (T1) 7 days of writing. The main result showed that only the IG presented a different P300 amplitude in response to eye expressions at T1 compared to T0 on the left centre-frontal montage. No significant results on accuracy at T1 compared to T0 were found. These findings seem to suggest that the introspective writing task modulates attention and implicit evaluation of the socio-emotional stimuli. Results are discussed with reference to the hypothesis that such neuronal modulation is linked to an increase in the embodied simulation process underlying affective empathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Altavilla
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, "Roma Tre" University, Via Ostiense, 234 00146, Rome, Italy.
| | - Ines Adornetti
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, "Roma Tre" University, Via Ostiense, 234 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Chiera
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, "Roma Tre" University, Via Ostiense, 234 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Deriu
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, "Roma Tre" University, Via Ostiense, 234 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Acciai
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, "Roma Tre" University, Via Ostiense, 234 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Ferretti
- Cosmic Lab, Department of Philosophy, Communication and Performing Arts, "Roma Tre" University, Via Ostiense, 234 00146, Rome, Italy
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Gourlay C, Collin P, D'Auteuil C, Jacques M, Scherzer PB. A further study of the psychometric qualities of the Strange Stories-Revised across the three stages of aging. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. ADULT 2022:1-9. [PMID: 35940197 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2022.2109419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Happé's Strange Stories task was developed in 1994 to assess theory of mind, the ability to infer mental states in oneself and others. Since then, it has undergone revisions, translations, and adaptations. A modified version of the task, the Strange Stories-Revised (SS-R), previously showed satisfactory qualities in a study aiming at identifying psychometrically acceptable social cognitive measures. OBJECTIVE The current study expands upon the psychometric evaluation study by examining the qualities of a short version of the SS-R in a sample of healthy adult subjects. METHODS One hundred and eighteen healthy adults completed the task along with neurocognitive measures. Mean scores of the long and short versions were compared. Associations between ToM as measured by performance on this abbreviated version of the SS-R, and potential confounders were explored. Internal consistency, dimensionality of the short version, and performance comparisons across three stages of aging (18-34; 35-59; 60-85 years old) were investigated, and standard measurement error was calculated to improve precision and data interpretation. RESULTS Reliability coefficients were comparable in the short and long versions. Principal component analysis showed that a one-factor structure best fits the data. Significant differences were observed in ToM performance across the three age groups, indicating a decline with time that was also captured by the long version, starting during midlife and increasing in significance with age. CONCLUSION The short version of the SS-R is a promising measure that can be profitably used in time-limited settings to assess theory of mind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Gourlay
- Département de psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Pascal Collin
- Département de psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Camille D'Auteuil
- Département de psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Marie Jacques
- Département de psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Peter B Scherzer
- Département de psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
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Isernia S, Rossetto F, Blasi V, Massaro D, Castelli I, Ricci C, Shamay-Tsoory S, Marchetti A, Baglio F. Measuring cognitive and affective Theory of Mind with the Italian Yoni task: normative data and short versions. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03457-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
AbstractTheory of Mind (ToM), a high-order human social cognition skill, is relevant for mental health and wellbeing and frequently impaired in many clinical conditions. To detect ToM difficulties, validated and standardized measures need to be adopted in clinical practice. The Yoni task provides a comprehensive evaluation of first-order, second-order, affective and cognitive mentalistic inferences. However, the Yoni task remains a time-demanding tool without normative data. To fill this gap, we explored the convergent and discriminant validity, the inter-item reliability and provided normative data of the Italian version of the Yoni task (98 items), and developed two short versions (48 and 36 items). For the validation, internal consistency and convergent/discriminant validity have been considered. Then, the effects of demographical variables on 98 item Yoni were explored, and normative data were provided. Our data demonstrated high reliability and a good convergent validity in all the Yoni versions. Then, two composite scores were proposed to obtain: 1) a global ToM level and 2) the balance between affective and cognitive ToM components, whose alteration represents a signature of several clinical conditions. The future standardization of the short versions of Yoni will allow a comprehensive and quick examination of ToM abilities, suitable for both research and clinical settings.
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Morellini L, Ceroni M, Rossi S, Zerboni G, Rege-Colet L, Biglia E, Morese R, Sacco L. Social Cognition in Adult ADHD: A Systematic Review. Front Psychol 2022; 13:940445. [PMID: 35898990 PMCID: PMC9311421 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.940445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this systematic review was to collect and align the research on social cognition impairments in adults with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In particular, we selected and analyzed papers on emotion recognition and processing, Theory of Mind (TOM), empathy, and other facets of social cognition as decision making. We identified 16 papers published between 2012 and 2022 which meet inclusion criteria. Papers search, selection, and extraction followed the PRISMA guidelines. In order to summarize data from papers, we used a narrative synthesis approach. Results show different evidence of impairment in social cognition domains in adults with ADHD. Our systematic review suggests the importance of promoting more research on this topic because it is essential to keep in mind that social cognition plays a central role in socialization and social relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Morellini
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
- Neuropsychology and Behavioral Neurology Research Unit, Neuropsychological and Speech Therapy Unit, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Lugano, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Lucia Morellini
| | - Martino Ceroni
- Neuropsychology and Behavioral Neurology Research Unit, Neuropsychological and Speech Therapy Unit, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Stefania Rossi
- Neuropsychology and Behavioral Neurology Research Unit, Neuropsychological and Speech Therapy Unit, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Giorgia Zerboni
- Neuropsychology and Behavioral Neurology Research Unit, Neuropsychological and Speech Therapy Unit, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Laura Rege-Colet
- Neuropsychology and Behavioral Neurology Research Unit, Neuropsychological and Speech Therapy Unit, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Elena Biglia
- Neuropsychology and Behavioral Neurology Research Unit, Neuropsychological and Speech Therapy Unit, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Rosalba Morese
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
- Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
- Rosalba Morese
| | - Leonardo Sacco
- Neuropsychological and Speech Therapy Unit, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Lugano, Switzerland
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Cognitive and Affective Theory of Mind across Adulthood. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12070899. [PMID: 35884706 PMCID: PMC9313336 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12070899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Theory of mind (ToM) is a fundamental aspect of social cognition. Previous studies on age-related changes in mentalizing processes have provided conflicting results. This study aims to investigate the age-related changes in the cognitive and affective components of ToM throughout adulthood. METHODS Two hundred and thirty-eight healthy participants divided into five age groups (18-40 years old; 41-50 years old; 51-60 years old; 61-70 years; 71-80 years old) underwent tasks assessing the cognitive (ToM Picture Sequencing Task, TMPS, and the Advanced Test of ToM, ATT) and affective (Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task, RMET, and the Emotion Attribution Task, EAT) components of ToM, in both verbal and nonverbal modality. RESULTS Regarding affective ToM, both the youngest- and middle-old adult groups (61 to 80 years) performed worse than the young and youngest-middle adult groups (18 to 50 years) in the RMET, but no significant differences were found in the EAT. Regarding cognitive ToM, the middle-old adult group (71 to 80 years) performed worse than the young adult group (18 to 40 years) only in the TMPS, but no significant differences were found in the ATT. CONCLUSION Rather than a general decline in ToM, our results provide evidence regarding selective changes in ToM in older adults, further confirming the dissociation of cognitive and affective ToM.
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Nikel L, Sliwinska MW, Kucuk E, Ungerleider LG, Pitcher D. Measuring the response to visually presented faces in the human lateral prefrontal cortex. Cereb Cortex Commun 2022; 3:tgac036. [PMID: 36159205 PMCID: PMC9491845 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgac036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies identify multiple face-selective areas in the human brain. In the current study, we compared the functional response of the face area in the lateral prefrontal cortex to that of other face-selective areas. In Experiment 1, participants (n = 32) were scanned viewing videos containing faces, bodies, scenes, objects, and scrambled objects. We identified a face-selective area in the right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG). In Experiment 2, participants (n = 24) viewed the same videos or static images. Results showed that the rIFG, right posterior superior temporal sulcus (rpSTS), and right occipital face area (rOFA) exhibited a greater response to moving than static faces. In Experiment 3, participants (n = 18) viewed face videos in the contralateral and ipsilateral visual fields. Results showed that the rIFG and rpSTS showed no visual field bias, while the rOFA and right fusiform face area (rFFA) showed a contralateral bias. These experiments suggest two conclusions; firstly, in all three experiments, the face area in the IFG was not as reliably identified as face areas in the occipitotemporal cortex. Secondly, the similarity of the response profiles in the IFG and pSTS suggests the areas may perform similar cognitive functions, a conclusion consistent with prior neuroanatomical and functional connectivity evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Nikel
- Department of Psychology, University of York, Heslington , York YO10 5DD , UK
| | | | - Emel Kucuk
- Department of Psychology, University of York, Heslington , York YO10 5DD , UK
| | - Leslie G Ungerleider
- Section on Neurocircuitry, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health , Bethesda, MD, 20892 , USA
| | - David Pitcher
- Department of Psychology, University of York, Heslington , York YO10 5DD , UK
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Anselmo A, Lucifora C, Rusconi P, Martino G, Craparo G, Salehinejad MA, Vicario CM. Can we rewire criminal mind via non-invasive brain stimulation of prefrontal cortex? Insights from clinical, forensic and social cognition studies. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 42:1-11. [PMID: 35600259 PMCID: PMC9107958 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03210-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Non-compliance with social and legal norms and regulations represents a high burden for society. Social cognition deficits are frequently called into question to explain criminal violence and rule violations in individuals diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (APD), borderline personality disorder (BPD), and psychopathy. In this article, we proposed to consider the potential benefits of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) to rehabilitate forensic population. We focused on the effects of NIBS of the prefrontal cortex, which is central in social cognition, in modulating aggression and impulsivity in clinical disorders, as well as in forensic population. We also addressed the effect of NIBS on empathy, and theory of mind in non-clinical and/or prison population. The reviewed data provide promising evidence on the beneficial effect of NIBS on aggression/impulsivity dyscontrol and social cognitive functions, suggesting its relevance in promoting reintegration of criminals into society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Anselmo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cognitive, Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e Degli Studi Culturali, Università di Messina, via Concezione 6-8, 98121 Messina, Italy
| | - Chiara Lucifora
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council (ISTC-CNR), Roma, RM Italy
| | - Patrice Rusconi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cognitive, Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e Degli Studi Culturali, Università di Messina, via Concezione 6-8, 98121 Messina, Italy
| | - Gabriella Martino
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Craparo
- Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, UKE-Kore University of Enna, Cittadella Universitaria, 94100 Enna, Italy
| | - Mohammad A. Salehinejad
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Carmelo M. Vicario
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cognitive, Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e Degli Studi Culturali, Università di Messina, via Concezione 6-8, 98121 Messina, Italy
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Schulreich S, Tusche A, Kanske P, Schwabe L. Altruism under Stress: Cortisol Negatively Predicts Charitable Giving and Neural Value Representations Depending on Mentalizing Capacity. J Neurosci 2022; 42:3445-3460. [PMID: 35288436 PMCID: PMC9034777 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1870-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Altruism, defined as costly other-regarding behavior, varies considerably across people and contexts. One prominent context in which people frequently must decide on how to socially act is under stress. How does stress affect altruistic decision-making and through which neurocognitive mechanisms? To address these questions, we assessed neural activity associated with charitable giving under stress. Human participants (males and females) completed a charitable donation task before and after they underwent either a psychosocial stressor or a control manipulation, while their brain activity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging. As the ability to infer other people's mental states (i.e., mentalizing) predicts prosocial giving and may be susceptible to stress, we examined whether stress effects on altruism depend on participants' general capacity to mentalize, as assessed in an independent task. Although our stress manipulation per se had no influence on charitable giving, increases in the stress hormone cortisol were associated with reductions in donations in participants with high mentalizing capacity, but not in low mentalizers. Multivariate neural response patterns in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) were less predictive of postmanipulation donations in high mentalizers with increased cortisol, indicating decreased value coding, and this effect mediated the (moderated) association between cortisol increases and reduced donations. Our findings provide novel insights into the modulation of altruistic decision-making by suggesting an impact of the stress hormone cortisol on mentalizing-related neurocognitive processes, which in turn results in decreased altruism. The DLPFC appears to play a key role in mediating this cortisol-related shift in altruism.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Altruism is a fundamental building block of our society. Emerging evidence indicates a major role of acute stress and stress-related neuromodulators in social behavior and decision-making. How and through which mechanisms stress may impact altruism remains elusive. We observed that the stress hormone cortisol was linked to diminished altruistic behavior. This effect was mediated by reduced value representations in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and critically depended on the individual capacity to infer mental states of others. Our findings provide novel insights into the modulation of human altruism linked to stress-hormone dynamics and into the involved sociocognitive and neural mechanisms, with important implications for future developments of more targeted interventions for stress-related decrements in social behavior and social cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Schulreich
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Human Movement Science, Universität Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anita Tusche
- Queen's Neuroeconomics Laboratory, Departments of Psychology and Economics, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
- Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125
| | - Philipp Kanske
- Institute of Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | - Lars Schwabe
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Human Movement Science, Universität Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
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Giacomucci G, Galdo G, Polito C, Berti V, Padiglioni S, Mazzeo S, Chiaro E, De Cristofaro MT, Bagnoli S, Nacmias B, Sorbi S, Bessi V. Unravelling neural correlates of empathy deficits in Subjective Cognitive Decline, Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease. Behav Brain Res 2022; 428:113893. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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A systematic review and meta-analysis of social cognition training success across the healthy lifespan. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3544. [PMID: 35241715 PMCID: PMC8894472 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07420-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Socio-cognitive abilities and challenges change across the healthy lifespan and are essential for successful human interaction. Identifying effective socio-cognitive training approaches for healthy individuals may prevent development of mental or physical disease and reduced quality of life. A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE Ovid, Web of Science Core Collection, CENTRAL, and PsycInfo databases. Studies that investigated different socio-cognitive trainings for healthy individuals across the human lifespan assessing effects on theory of mind, emotion recognition, perspective taking, and social decision making were included. A random-effects pairwise meta-analysis was conducted. Risk-of-Bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias-2-Tool. Twenty-three intervention studies with N = 1835 participants were included in the systematic review; twelve randomized controlled trials in the meta-analysis (N = 875). Socio-cognitive trainings differed regarding duration and content in different age groups, with theory of mind being the domain most frequently trained. Results of the meta-analysis showed that trainings were highly effective for improving theory of mind in children aged 3–5 years (SMD = 2.51 (95%CI: 0.48–4.53)), children aged 7–9 years (SMD = 2.71 (95%CI: − 0.28 to 5.71)), and older adults (SMD = 5.90 (95%CI: 2.77–9.02). Theory of mind training was highly effective in all investigated age-groups for improving theory of mind, yet, more research on transfer effects to other socio-cognitive processes and further investigation of training effects in other socio-cognitive domains (e.g., emotion recognition, visual perspective taking, social decision making) is needed. Identified characteristics of successful socio-cognitive trainings in different age groups may help designing future training studies for other populations. Registration:www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ (ID: CRD42020193297).
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Campos C, Pasion R, Azeredo A, Ramião E, Mazer P, Macedo I, Barbosa F. Refining the link between psychopathy, antisocial behavior, and empathy: A meta-analytical approach across different conceptual frameworks. Clin Psychol Rev 2022; 94:102145. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2022.102145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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Draperi M, Aïte A, Cassotti M, Le Stanc L, Houdé O, Borst G. Development of cool and hot theory of mind and cool and hot inhibitory control abilities from 3.5 to 6.5 years of age. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0262251. [PMID: 35085269 PMCID: PMC8794116 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Attributing affectively neutral mental states such as thoughts (i.e., cool theory of mind, cool ToM) to others appears to be rooted in different processes than the ones involved in attributing affectively charged mental states such as emotions (i.e., hot ToM) to others. However, no study has investigated the developmental pattern of hot and cool ToM abilities using a similar task and the relative contribution of cool and hot inhibitory control (IC) to cool and hot ToM development. To do so, we tested 112 children aged 3.5 to 6.5 years on a cool and a hot version of a ToM task and on a cool and hot version of an IC task. We found that hot ToM abilities developed more rapidly than cool ToM. Importantly, we found that hot IC abilities mediated the relation between age and hot ToM abilities. Taken together, our results suggest that the ability to attribute emotions to others develops more rapidly than the ability to attribute thoughts and that the growing efficiency of hot ToM with age is specifically rooted in the growing efficiency of hot IC abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ania Aïte
- LaPsyDÉ, Université de Paris, CNRS, Paris, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Mathieu Cassotti
- LaPsyDÉ, Université de Paris, CNRS, Paris, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | | | - Olivier Houdé
- LaPsyDÉ, Université de Paris, CNRS, Paris, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Grégoire Borst
- LaPsyDÉ, Université de Paris, CNRS, Paris, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
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47
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Xu X, Liu Z, Gong S, Wu Y. The Relationship between Empathy and Attachment in Children and Adolescents: Three-Level Meta-Analyses. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:1391. [PMID: 35162410 PMCID: PMC8835466 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Empathy is one of the leading social abilities to understand or feel the emotions of other people. Attachment is thought to be a critical influential factor of empathy, as revealed by attachment theory and experimental studies, while empathy is also believed to facilitate the quality of attachment. Although many studies are conducted concerning the two subjects, the direction and magnitude of their relationship still remain unclear. In order to clarify the discrepant results in the previous study and explore the moderators in the empathy-attachment association, three-level meta-analyses were conducted in the present work. Based on 212 effect sizes from 59 samples in 50 studies with a total of 24,572 participants, random effect model analyses showed that empathy was insignificantly correlated with anxious attachment, significantly negatively correlated with avoidant attachment, and significantly positively correlated with secure attachment. The meta-analytic results indicated that children and adolescents with high secure attachment tend to show more empathy than those with low secure attachment. The meta-regression model revealed significant effects of the empathy dimension, culture, empathy measurement tools, and publication state. Additionally, implications and future directions for the empathy-attachment relationship were also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xizheng Xu
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University (CCNU), Wuhan 430079, China; (X.X.); (Z.L.)
- Hunan Police Academy, Changsha 410138, China
| | - Zhiqiang Liu
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University (CCNU), Wuhan 430079, China; (X.X.); (Z.L.)
- Center of Students’ Psychological Development, Yancheng Polytechnic College (YCPC), Yancheng 224000, China
| | - Shaoying Gong
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University (CCNU), Wuhan 430079, China; (X.X.); (Z.L.)
| | - Yunpeng Wu
- School of Teacher Education, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China;
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48
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Aidelbaum R, Goghari V. A Visual Task-Based Assessment of Theory of Mind and Social Perception Within Bipolar Disorder. J Nerv Ment Dis 2022; 210:37-44. [PMID: 34743085 DOI: 10.1097/nmd.0000000000001408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Evidence suggests that theory of mind (TOM) and social perception (SP) may be impaired within bipolar disorder (BD). However, it remains unclear whether these deficits are facet specific and predictive of functioning. This study assessed the manifestation of TOM and SP in a BD sample. Twenty-six individuals diagnosed with BD and 25 controls were recruited and assessed for TOM, SP, and functioning. Whereas differences were observed regarding functional outcome, differences were not observed regarding social cognitive performance, regardless of facet. Correlations between social cognitive and functional outcome domains were nonsignificant, whereas significant associations were observed between the social cognitive measures. Results suggest that despite functional differences, TOM and SP, independent of facet assessed, seem preserved within the BD sample. Although evidence was not provided supporting the utility of TOM and SP in the prediction of functional outcome, evidence supports the possible dependence of these social cognitive domains on shared underlying processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Aidelbaum
- Graduate Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Qi L, Zhao J, Zhao P, Zhang H, Zhong J, Pan P, Wang G, Yi Z, Xie L. Theory of mind and facial emotion recognition in adults with temporal lobe epilepsy: A meta-analysis. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:976439. [PMID: 36276336 PMCID: PMC9582667 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.976439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mounting studies have investigated impairments in social cognitive domains (including theory of mind [ToM] and facial emotion recognition [FER] in adult patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). However, to date, inconsistent findings remain. METHODS A search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases was conducted until December 2021. Hedges g effect sizes were computed with a random-effects model. Meta-regressions were used to assess the potential confounding factors of between-study variability in effect sizes. RESULTS The meta-analysis included 41 studies, with a combined sample of 1,749 adult patients with TLE and 1,324 healthy controls (HCs). Relative to HCs, adult patients with TLE showed large impairments in ToM (g = -0.92) and cognitive ToM (g = -0.92), followed by medium impairments in affective ToM (g = -0.79) and FER (g = -0.77). Besides, no (statistically) significant differences were observed between the magnitude of social cognition impairment in adult with TLE who underwent and those who did not undergo epilepsy surgery. Meta-regressions exhibited that greater severity of executive functioning was associated with more severe ToM defects, and older age was associated with more severe FER defects. CONCLUSIONS Results of this meta-analysis suggest that adult patients with TLE show differential impairments in the core aspects of social cognitive domains (including ToM and FER), which may help in planning individualized treatment with appropriate cognitive and behavioral interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Qi
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Huai'an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, The Second People's Hospital of Huai'an, Huaian, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Department of Central Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, China
| | - PanWen Zhao
- Department of Central Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Central Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, China
| | - JianGuo Zhong
- Department of Neurology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, China
| | - PingLei Pan
- Department of Central Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, China.,Department of Neurology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, China
| | - GenDi Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, China
| | - ZhongQuan Yi
- Department of Central Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, China
| | - LiLi Xie
- Department of Neurology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, China
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50
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Sun Y, Zhao J, Zhao P, Zhang H, Zhong J, Pan P, Wang G, Yi Z, Xie L. Social cognition in children and adolescents with epilepsy: A meta-analysis. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:983565. [PMID: 36186867 PMCID: PMC9520261 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.983565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have investigated impairments in two key domains of social cognition (theory of mind [ToM] and facial emotion recognition [FER]) in children and adolescents with epilepsy. However, inconsistent conclusions were found. Our objective was to characterize social cognition performance of children and adolescents with epilepsy. A literature search was conducted using Web of Science, PubMed, and Embase databases. The article retrieval, screening, quality assessment (Newcastle-Ottawa-Scale), and data extraction were performed independently by two investigators. A random-effects model was used to examine estimates. The meta-analysis included 19 studies, with a combined sample of 623 children and adolescents with epilepsy (mean [SD] age, 12.13 [2.62] years; 46.1% female) and 677 healthy controls [HCs]) (mean [SD] age, 11.48 [2.71] years; 50.7% female). The results revealed that relative to HCs, children and adolescents with epilepsy exhibited deficits in ToM (g = -1.08, 95% CI [-1.38, -0.78], p < 0.001, the number of studies [k] = 13), FER (g = -0.98, 95% CI [-1.33, -0.64], p < 0.001, k = 12), and ToM subcomponents (cognitive ToM: g = -1.04, 95% CI [-1.35, -0.72], p < 0.001, k = 12] and affective ToM: g = -0.73, 95% CI [-1.12, -0.34], p < 0.001, k = 8). In addition, there were no statistically significant differences in social cognition deficits between children and adolescents with focal epilepsy and generalized epilepsy. Meta-regressions confirmed the robustness of the results. These quantitative results further deepen our understanding of the two core domains of social cognition in children and adolescents with epilepsy and may assist in the development of cognitive interventions for this patient population. Systematic review registration: https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2022-3-0011/, identifier INPLASY202230011.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Sun
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, The First People's Hospital of Yancheng, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Department of Central Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China
| | - PanWen Zhao
- Department of Central Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Central Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China
| | - JianGuo Zhong
- Department of Neurology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China
| | - PingLei Pan
- Department of Neurology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Central Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China
| | - GenDi Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China
| | - ZhongQuan Yi
- Department of Central Laboratory, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China
| | - LiLi Xie
- Department of Neurology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, Jiangsu, China
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