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Di Tella S, Silveri MC, Quaranta D, Caraglia N, Siciliano L, Marra C, Leggio M, Olivito G. The emerging role of the cerebellum in the affective theory of mind in the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia. J Neurol 2024:10.1007/s00415-024-12595-8. [PMID: 39105895 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12595-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Di Tella
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Davide Quaranta
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Neurology Unit, IRCCS Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli", Rome, Italy
| | - Naike Caraglia
- Neurology Unit, IRCCS Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli", Rome, Italy
| | - Libera Siciliano
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Dei Marsi 78, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Camillo Marra
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Neurology Unit, IRCCS Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli", Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Leggio
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Dei Marsi 78, 00185, Rome, Italy
- Ataxia Research Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Giusy Olivito
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Dei Marsi 78, 00185, Rome, Italy.
- Ataxia Research Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.
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Nejati V, Sharifian M, Famininejad Z, Salehinejad M, Mahdian S. The neural structures of theory of mind are valence-sensitive: evidence from three tDCS studies. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2024:10.1007/s00702-024-02808-9. [PMID: 39017736 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-024-02808-9] [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: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
Several cortical structures are involved in theory of mind (ToM), including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), and the right temporo- parietal junction (rTPJ). We investigated the role of these regions in mind reading with respect to the valence of mental states. Sixty-five healthy adult participants were recruited and received transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) (1.5 mA, 20 min) with one week interval in three separate studies. The stimulation conditions were anodal tDCS over the dlPFC coupled with cathodal tDCS over the vmPFC, reversed stimulation conditions, and sham in the first study, and anodal tDCS over the vmPFC, or dlPFC, and sham stimulation, with an extracranial return electrode in the second and third study. During stimulation, participants underwent the reading mind from eyes/voice tests (RMET or RMVT) in each stimulation condition. Anodal left dlPFC/cathodal right vmPFC stimulation increased the accuracy of negative mental state attributions, anodal rTPJ decreased the accuracy of negative and neutral mental state attributions, and decreased the reaction time of positive mental state attributions. Our results imply that the neural correlates of ToM are valence-sensitive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahid Nejati
- Department of Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Maryam Sharifian
- Department of Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Mohammadali Salehinejad
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Shahab Mahdian
- Department of Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
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Marafioti G, Cardile D, Culicetto L, Quartarone A, Lo Buono V. The Impact of Social Cognition Deficits on Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis: A Scoping Review. Brain Sci 2024; 14:691. [PMID: 39061431 PMCID: PMC11274955 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14070691] [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: 06/13/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease that affects the Central Nervous System by causing demyelination. Social cognition (SC) deficits are common among individuals with MS and can significantly impact their quality of life (QoL) due to difficulties in interpreting social cues and establishing meaningful relationships. OBJECTIVE This scoping review aimed to investigate SC in subjects with MS and its impact on QoL. METHODS Systematic searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases. After reading the full text of the selected studies and applying predefined inclusion criteria, four studies were included based on pertinence and relevance to the topic. RESULTS The findings highlight significant associations between SC deficits, social support, fatigue, and QoL outcomes. Cognitive decline was identified as a predictive factor for SC impairment in the MS population, which affects daily activities and relationships, thereby reducing QoL. Moreover, emotional impairments such as depression and anxiety exacerbate these challenges. Enhancing social support networks may improve psychological well-being and disease management in MS. CONCLUSIONS Although evidence is limited, assessing SC is crucial in the care pathways for MS to develop tailored psychosocial interventions that address the cognitive, emotional, and social facets of the disease, thereby improving overall outcomes and QoL.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Davide Cardile
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, S.S. 113 Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy (A.Q.); (V.L.B.)
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Ziccardi S, Genova H, Colato E, Guandalini M, Tamanti A, Calabrese M. The neural substrates of social cognition deficits in newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis patients. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2024; 11:1798-1808. [PMID: 38872257 PMCID: PMC11251485 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.52085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cognitive and affective symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS) can be independently impaired and have different pathways of progression. Cognitive alterations have been described since the earliest MS stages; by contrast, the social cognition (SC) domain has never been investigated in the first year from MS diagnosis. We aimed to evaluate SC and unravel its neural bases in newly diagnosed MS patients. METHODS Seventy MS patients underwent at diagnosis a 3 T-MRI and a neuropsychological/SC assessment (median time between diagnosis and MRI/cognitive evaluation = 0 months). We tested two matched reference samples: 31 relapsing-remitting MS patients with longer course (mean ± SD disease duration = 7.0 ± 4.5 years) and 38 healthy controls (HCs). Cortical thicknesses (CTh) and volumes of brain regions were calculated. RESULTS Newly diagnosed MS patients performed significantly lower than HCs in facial emotion recognition (global: p < 0.001; happiness: p = 0.041, anger: p = 0.007; fear: p < 0.001; disgust: p = 0.004) and theory of mind (p = 0.005), while no difference was found between newly diagnosed and longer MS patients. Compared to lower performers, higher performers in facial emotion recognition showed greater volume of amygdala (p = 0.032) and caudate (p = 0.036); higher performers in theory of mind showed greater CTh in lingual gyrus (p = 0.006), cuneus (p = 0.024), isthmus cingulate (p = 0.038), greater volumes of putamen (p = 0.016), pallidum (p = 0.029), and amygdala (p = 0.032); patients with higher empathy showed lower cuneus CTh (p = 0.042) and putamen volume (p = 0.007). INTERPRETATIONS SC deficits are present in MS patients since the time of diagnosis and remain persistent along the disease course. Specific basal, limbic, and occipital areas play a significant role in the pathogenesis of these alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Ziccardi
- Neurology Section, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement SciencesUniversity of VeronaVeronaItaly
| | - Helen Genova
- Kessler Foundation120 Eagle'Rock Ave, Suite 100East HanoverNew Jersey07936USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, New Jersey Medical SchoolRutgers UniversityNewarkNew Jersey07101USA
| | - Elisa Colato
- Neurology Section, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement SciencesUniversity of VeronaVeronaItaly
- MS Centre, Department of Anatomy and NeuroscienceAmsterdam UMCAmsterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Maddalena Guandalini
- Neurology Section, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement SciencesUniversity of VeronaVeronaItaly
| | - Agnese Tamanti
- Neurology Section, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement SciencesUniversity of VeronaVeronaItaly
| | - Massimiliano Calabrese
- Neurology Section, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement SciencesUniversity of VeronaVeronaItaly
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Li X, Shen M, Shen Z, Han Z, Jiao J, Tong X. Reading the mind in the eyes in patients with idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder. Neurol Sci 2024; 45:2697-2703. [PMID: 38190083 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-024-07303-3] [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: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Idiopathic rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) is characterized by vocalizations, jerks, and motor behaviors during REM sleep, often associated with REM-related dream content, which is considered a prodromal stage of α-synucleinopathy. The results of the Reading the Mind in the Eyes (RME) reflecting affective Theory of Mind (ToM) are inconsistent in α-synucleinopathy. The present study tried to investigate the RME in patients with iRBD. METHODS A total of 35 patients with iRBD and 26 healthy controls were included in the study. All participants were administered the RME and the cognitive assessments according to a standard procedure. The patients with iRBD were further divided into two groups (high or low RME) according to the scores of the RME (> 21, or ≤ 20). RESULTS The patients with iRBD had worse scores on cognitive tests compared with healthy controls involving global cognitive screening, memory, and visuospatial abilities (p < 0.05), but the scores of the RME were similar between the two groups (20.83 ± 3.38, 20.58 ± 3.43) (p ˃ 0.05). Patients with low RME had more obvious cognitive impairments than healthy controls. After applying Bonferroni correction for multiple tests, the low REM group only performed worse on the Sum of trials 1 to 5 and delayed recall of the RAVLT compared with the healthy control group (p < 0.001, = 0.002). The RME correlated with the scores of cognitive tests involving executive function, attention, memory, and visuospatial function. CONCLUSIONS The changes in RME had a relationship with cognitive impairments, especially memory, in patients with iRBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xudong Li
- Department of Cognitive Disorder, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Fengtai District, South 4th Ring Road West 119, Beijing, 100070, China.
- China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China.
| | - Miaoxin Shen
- Department of Cognitive Disorder, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Fengtai District, South 4th Ring Road West 119, Beijing, 100070, China
| | | | - Ziling Han
- Department of Cognitive Disorder, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Fengtai District, South 4th Ring Road West 119, Beijing, 100070, China
| | - Jinsong Jiao
- Department of Neurology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaopeng Tong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang, China
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Escudero-Cabarcas J, Pineda-Alhucema W, Martinez-Banfi M, Acosta-López JE, Cervantes-Henriquez ML, Mejía-Segura E, Jiménez-Figueroa G, Sánchez-Barros C, Puentes-Rozo PJ, Noguera-Machacón LM, Ahmad M, de la Hoz M, Vélez JI, Arcos-Burgos M, Pineda DA, Sánchez M. Theory of Mind in Huntington's Disease: A Systematic Review of 20 Years of Research. J Huntingtons Dis 2024; 13:15-31. [PMID: 38517797 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-230594] [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] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
Background People with Huntington's disease (HD) exhibit neurocognitive alterations throughout the disease, including deficits in social cognitive processes such as Theory of Mind (ToM). Objective The aim is to identify methodologies and ToM instruments employed in HD, alongside relevant findings, within the scientific literature of the past two decades. Methods We conducted a comprehensive search for relevant papers in the SCOPUS, PubMed, APA-PsyArticles, Web of Science, Redalyc, and SciELO databases. In the selection process, we specifically focused on studies that included individuals with a confirmed genetic status of HD and investigated ToM functioning in patients with and without motor symptoms. The systematic review followed the PRISMA protocol. Results A total of 27 papers were selected for this systematic review, covering the period from 2003 to 2023. The findings consistently indicate that ToM is globally affected in patients with manifest motor symptoms. In individuals without motor symptoms, impairments are focused on the affective dimensions of ToM. Conclusions Based on our analysis, affective ToM could be considered a potential biomarker for HD. Therefore, it is recommended that ToM assessment be included as part of neuropsychological evaluation protocols in clinical settings. Suchinclusion could aid in the identification of early stages of the disease and provide new opportunities for treatment, particularly with emerging drugs like antisense oligomers. The Prospero registration number for this review is CRD42020209769.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johana Escudero-Cabarcas
- Centro de Inv. e Innovación en Ciencias Sociales, Facultad de ciencias jurídicas y Sociales, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Wilmar Pineda-Alhucema
- Centro de Inv. e Innovación en Ciencias Sociales, Facultad de ciencias jurídicas y Sociales, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Martha Martinez-Banfi
- Centro de Inv. e Innovación en Ciencias Sociales, Facultad de ciencias jurídicas y Sociales, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Johan E Acosta-López
- Centro de Inv. e Innovación en Ciencias Sociales, Facultad de ciencias jurídicas y Sociales, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Martha L Cervantes-Henriquez
- Centro de Inv. e Innovación en Ciencias Sociales, Facultad de ciencias jurídicas y Sociales, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Elsy Mejía-Segura
- Centro de Inv. e Innovación en Ciencias Sociales, Facultad de ciencias jurídicas y Sociales, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Giomar Jiménez-Figueroa
- Centro de Inv. e Innovación en Ciencias Sociales, Facultad de ciencias jurídicas y Sociales, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Cristian Sánchez-Barros
- Hospital Juaneda Miramar Departamento de Neurofisiología Clínica Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares, España
| | - Pedro J Puentes-Rozo
- Centro de Inv. e Innovación en Ciencias Sociales, Facultad de ciencias jurídicas y Sociales, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla, Colombia
- Grupo de Neurociencias del Caribe, Universidad del Atlántico, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | | | - Mostapha Ahmad
- Universidad Simón Bolívar, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Moisés de la Hoz
- Universidad Simón Bolívar, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Barranquilla, Colombia
| | | | - Mauricio Arcos-Burgos
- Grupo de Investigación en Psiquiatría (GIPSI), Departamento de Psiquiatría, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - David A Pineda
- Grupo de investigación Neuropsicología y Conducta, Universidad de San Buenaventura, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Manuel Sánchez
- Centro de Inv. e Innovación en Ciencias Sociales, Facultad de ciencias jurídicas y Sociales, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla, Colombia
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Tafuri B, Urso D, Nigro S, Macchitella L, De Blasi R, Ray Chaudhuri K, Logroscino G. Grey-matter correlates of empathy in 4-Repeat Tauopathies. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2023; 9:138. [PMID: 37758794 PMCID: PMC10533505 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-023-00576-z] [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: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Loss of empathy is an early and central symptom of frontotemporal lobar degeneration spectrum diseases. We aimed to investigate the topographical distribution of morphometric brain changes associated with empathy in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and Corticobasal Syndrome (CBS) patients. Twenty-seven participants with CBS and 31 with PSP were evaluated using Interpersonal Reactivity Index scales in correlation with gray matter atrophy using a voxel-based morphometry approach. Lower levels of empathy were associated with an increased atrophy in fronto-temporal cortical structures. At subcortical level, empathy scores were positively correlated with gray matter volume in the amygdala, hippocampus and the cerebellum. These findings allow to extend the traditional cortico-centric view of cognitive empathy to the cerebellar regions in patients with neurodegenerative disorders and suggest that the cerebellum may play a more prominent role in social cognition than previously appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta Tafuri
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', "Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico", Tricase, Lecce, Italy
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience (DiBraiN), University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', Bari, Italy
| | - Daniele Urso
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', "Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico", Tricase, Lecce, Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, De Crespigny Park, London, UK
| | - Salvatore Nigro
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', "Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico", Tricase, Lecce, Italy
- Institute of Nanotechnology (NANOTEC), National Research Council, Lecce, Italy
| | - Luigi Macchitella
- IRCCS "E. Medea"- Unit for Severe disabilities in developmental age and young adults (Developmental Neurology and Neurorehabilitation), Brindisi, Italy
| | - Roberto De Blasi
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', "Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico", Tricase, Lecce, Italy
| | - K Ray Chaudhuri
- Department of Neurosciences, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, De Crespigny Park, London, UK
| | - Giancarlo Logroscino
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', "Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico", Tricase, Lecce, Italy.
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience (DiBraiN), University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', Bari, Italy.
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Alfalahi H, Dias SB, Khandoker AH, Chaudhuri KR, Hadjileontiadis LJ. A scoping review of neurodegenerative manifestations in explainable digital phenotyping. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2023; 9:49. [PMID: 36997573 PMCID: PMC10063633 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-023-00494-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurologists nowadays no longer view neurodegenerative diseases, like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, as single entities, but rather as a spectrum of multifaceted symptoms with heterogeneous progression courses and treatment responses. The definition of the naturalistic behavioral repertoire of early neurodegenerative manifestations is still elusive, impeding early diagnosis and intervention. Central to this view is the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in reinforcing the depth of phenotypic information, thereby supporting the paradigm shift to precision medicine and personalized healthcare. This suggestion advocates the definition of disease subtypes in a new biomarker-supported nosology framework, yet without empirical consensus on standardization, reliability and interpretability. Although the well-defined neurodegenerative processes, linked to a triad of motor and non-motor preclinical symptoms, are detected by clinical intuition, we undertake an unbiased data-driven approach to identify different patterns of neuropathology distribution based on the naturalistic behavior data inherent to populations in-the-wild. We appraise the role of remote technologies in the definition of digital phenotyping specific to brain-, body- and social-level neurodegenerative subtle symptoms, emphasizing inter- and intra-patient variability powered by deep learning. As such, the present review endeavors to exploit digital technologies and AI to create disease-specific phenotypic explanations, facilitating the understanding of neurodegenerative diseases as "bio-psycho-social" conditions. Not only does this translational effort within explainable digital phenotyping foster the understanding of disease-induced traits, but it also enhances diagnostic and, eventually, treatment personalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hessa Alfalahi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
- Healthcare Engineering Innovation Center (HEIC), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Sofia B Dias
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Healthcare Engineering Innovation Center (HEIC), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- CIPER, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ahsan H Khandoker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Healthcare Engineering Innovation Center (HEIC), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Kallol Ray Chaudhuri
- Parkinson Foundation, International Center of Excellence, King's College London, Denmark Hills, London, UK
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neurosciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, UK
| | - Leontios J Hadjileontiadis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Healthcare Engineering Innovation Center (HEIC), Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Jarsch M, Piguet O, Berres M, Sluka C, Semenkova A, Kressig RW, Monsch AU, McDonald S, Sollberger M. Development of the Basel Version of the Awareness of Social Inference Test - Theory of Mind (BASIT-ToM) in healthy adults. J Neuropsychol 2023; 17:125-145. [PMID: 36129703 PMCID: PMC10947008 DOI: 10.1111/jnp.12290] [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: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Impairments of Theory of Mind (ToM) abilities occur in a wide range of brain disorders. Therefore, reliable and ecologically valid examination of these abilities is a crucial part of any comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. An established and ecologically valid, English-language test identifying deficits in ToM abilities is "The Awareness of Social Inference Test - Social Inference Minimal (TASIT-SIM)". However, no comparable German-language ToM test currently exists. In this study, we aimed to develop the first German-language adaption of TASIT-SIM in healthy adults. We selected 13 scenes [four scenes per message type (i.e., honesty, simple sarcasm, paradoxical sarcasm) and one practice scene] out of the 30 TASIT-SIM scenes. In collaboration with a film institute, we filmed each scene at three different intensities. These intensity version scenes were then administered to 240 healthy adults, equally distributed in sex and age, ranging from 35 to 92 years. By applying Rasch analysis, we selected intensity versions that showed neither floor nor ceiling effects in the majority of ToM questions in participants whose ToM abilities were in the medium range. In conclusion, we have developed the first German-language adaption of TASIT-SIM, i.e., the "Basel Version of the Awareness of Social Inference Test - Theory of Mind (BASIT-ToM)". The BASIT-ToM incorporates the strengths of TASIT-SIM, while overcoming its limitations such as inconsistencies in cinematic realization and ceiling effects in healthy participants. Next, the BASIT-ToM needs to be validated in healthy people and clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Jarsch
- Memory ClinicUniversity Department of Geriatric Medicine Felix PlatterBaselSwitzerland
- Faculty of PsychologyUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Olivier Piguet
- School of Psychology and Brain and Mind CentreThe University of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Manfred Berres
- Faculty of Mathematics and TechnologyUniversity of Applied Sciences KoblenzKoblenzGermany
| | - Constantin Sluka
- Department of Clinical ResearchUniversity of Basel and University Hospital BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Anna Semenkova
- Memory ClinicUniversity Department of Geriatric Medicine Felix PlatterBaselSwitzerland
- Faculty of PsychologyUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Reto W. Kressig
- Memory ClinicUniversity Department of Geriatric Medicine Felix PlatterBaselSwitzerland
| | - Andreas U. Monsch
- Memory ClinicUniversity Department of Geriatric Medicine Felix PlatterBaselSwitzerland
- Faculty of PsychologyUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Skye McDonald
- University of New South Wales PsychologySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Marc Sollberger
- Memory ClinicUniversity Department of Geriatric Medicine Felix PlatterBaselSwitzerland
- Department of NeurologyUniversity Hospital Basel and University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
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Mendez MF. A Functional and Neuroanatomical Model of Dehumanization. Cogn Behav Neurol 2023; 36:42-47. [PMID: 36149395 PMCID: PMC9991937 DOI: 10.1097/wnn.0000000000000316] [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: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The dehumanization of others is a major scourge of mankind; however, despite its significance, physicians have little understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms for this behavior. We can learn much about dehumanization from its brain-behavior localization and its manifestations in people with brain disorders. Dehumanization as an act of denying to others human qualities includes two major forms. Animalistic dehumanization (also called infrahumanization) results from increased inhibition of prepotent tendencies for emotional feelings and empathy for others. The mechanism may be increased activity in the inferior frontal gyrus. In contrast, mechanistic dehumanization results from a loss of perception of basic human nature and decreased mind-attribution. The mechanism may be hypofunction of a mentalization network centered in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and adjacent subgenual anterior cingulate cortex. Whereas developmental factors may promote animalistic dehumanization, brain disorders, such as frontotemporal dementia, primarily promote mechanistic dehumanization. The consideration of these two processes as distinct, with different neurobiological origins, could help guide efforts to mitigate expression of this behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario F. Mendez
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
- Neurology Service, Neurobehavior Unit, V.A. Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California
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Tu L, Wang Z, Lv X, Xie T, Fan Z, Zhang M, Wang H, Yu X. Characteristics of Odor Identification and Hedonics and Their Association with Piriform Cortex-Based Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment. J Alzheimers Dis 2023; 94:247-258. [PMID: 37212099 DOI: 10.3233/jad-221163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Olfactory identification dysfunction (OID) might be an early sign of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). However, odor hedonics, the ability to perceive odor pleasantness, is neglected. Also, the neural substrate of OID remains unclear. OBJECTIVE To explore the characteristics of odor identification and hedonics in aMCI and examine the potential neural correlates of OID by analyzing olfactory functional connectivity (FC) patterns in MCI. METHODS Forty-five controls and 83 aMCI patients were examined. The Chinese smell identification test was used to assess olfaction. Global cognition, memory, and social cognition were assessed. Resting-state functional networks associated with olfactory cortex seeds were compared between the cognitively normal (CN) and aMCI groups, as well as between aMCI subgroups by the degree of OID. RESULTS Compared to controls, aMCI patients had a significant deficit in olfactory identification, mainly reflected in the identification of pleasant and neutral odors. aMCI patients also rated pleasant and neutral odors much lower than controls. A positive correlation between olfaction and social cognition was found in aMCI. The seed-based FC analysis found that aMCI patients had higher FC between the right orbitofrontal cortex and right frontal lobe/middle frontal gyrus than controls. Subgroup analysis showed that, compared to aMCI without OID, aMCI with severe OID had abnormal FC in the bilateral piriform region. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that OID in aMCI primarily refers to the identification of pleasant and neutral odors. The FC alterations in bilateral orbitofrontal cortex and piriform cortices might contribute to the impairment in odor identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihui Tu
- Dementia Care and Research Center, Clinical Research Division, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Sixth Hospital, Haidian District, Beijing, China
- Beijing Dementia Key Lab, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhijiang Wang
- Dementia Care and Research Center, Clinical Research Division, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Sixth Hospital, Haidian District, Beijing, China
- Beijing Dementia Key Lab, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaozhen Lv
- Dementia Care and Research Center, Clinical Research Division, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Sixth Hospital, Haidian District, Beijing, China
- Beijing Dementia Key Lab, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Teng Xie
- Dementia Care and Research Center, Clinical Research Division, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Sixth Hospital, Haidian District, Beijing, China
- Beijing Dementia Key Lab, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zili Fan
- Dementia Care and Research Center, Clinical Research Division, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Sixth Hospital, Haidian District, Beijing, China
- Beijing Dementia Key Lab, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- Dementia Care and Research Center, Clinical Research Division, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Sixth Hospital, Haidian District, Beijing, China
- Beijing Dementia Key Lab, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychiatry, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huali Wang
- Dementia Care and Research Center, Clinical Research Division, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Sixth Hospital, Haidian District, Beijing, China
- Beijing Dementia Key Lab, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Yu
- Dementia Care and Research Center, Clinical Research Division, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Sixth Hospital, Haidian District, Beijing, China
- Beijing Dementia Key Lab, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
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12
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is associated with social and criminal transgressions; studies from countries around the world have documented such behavior in persons with this condition. An overview and analysis of social and criminal transgressions in bvFTD and their potential neurobiological mechanisms can provide a window for understanding the relationship of antisocial behavior and the brain. METHODS This review evaluated the literature on the frequency of social and criminal transgressions in bvFTD and the neurobiological disturbances that underlie them. RESULTS There is a high frequency of transgressions among patients with bvFTD due to impairments in neurocognition, such as social perception, behavioral regulation, and theory of mind, and impairments in social emotions, such as self-conscious emotions and empathy. Additionally, there is significant evidence for a specific impairment in an innate sense of morality. Alterations in these neurobiological processes result from predominantly right-hemisphere pathology in frontal (ventromedial, orbitofrontal, inferolateral frontal), anterior temporal (amygdala, temporal pole), limbic (anterior cingulate, amygdala), and insular regions. CONCLUSIONS Overlapping disturbances in neurocognition, social emotions, and moral reasoning result from disease in the mostly mesial and right-sided frontotemporal network necessary for responding emotionally to others and for behavioral control. With increased sophistication in neurobiological interventions, future goals may be the routine evaluation of these processes among individuals with bvFTD who engage in social and criminal transgressions and the targeting of these neurobiological mechanisms with behavioral, pharmacological, and other interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario F Mendez
- Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles; and Neurology Service, Neurobehavior Unit, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System
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13
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Morellini L, Izzo A, Ceroni M, Rossi S, Zerboni G, Rege-Colet L, Biglia E, Sacco L. Theory of mind in patients with mild cognitive impairment: A systematic review. Front Psychol 2022; 13:994070. [PMID: 36329733 PMCID: PMC9623288 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.994070] [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: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The focus of this systematic review was to collect and align studies which analyze the functionality of theory of mind (TOM) in patients with mild cognitive impairments (MCI). Specifically, we identified 20 papers published between 2012 and 2022 which met inclusion criteria. Papers search, selection, and extraction followed the PRISMA guidelines. In order to summarize data from the papers, we used a narrative synthesis approach. Results in 18 of these 20 papers show that theory of mind (TOM) is impaired in all types of MCI patients—regardless of different etiology and diagnostic criteria. Only 2 out of 20 reported no significant differences in TOM performance between MCI patients and healthy control subjects. The review additionally aimed to bundle the variety of the type of tasks used by the author to assess multiple domains of TOM. This heterogeneity does not allow us to make a comprehensive comparison between the results, so we suggest the need to align the results using the same type of tests and TOM assessment. In the end, our work highlights the 2 neuropsychological studies which confirm more of our results; due to the objective approach adopted to investigate this topic, we suggest exploring this point of view more in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Morellini
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
- Neuropsychological and Speech Therapy Unit, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Lucia Morellini
| | - Alessia Izzo
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Martino Ceroni
- Neuropsychological and Speech Therapy Unit, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Stefania Rossi
- Neuropsychological and Speech Therapy Unit, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Giorgia Zerboni
- Neuropsychological and Speech Therapy Unit, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Laura Rege-Colet
- Neuropsychological and Speech Therapy Unit, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Elena Biglia
- Neuropsychological and Speech Therapy Unit, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Leonardo Sacco
- Neuropsychological and Speech Therapy Unit, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
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14
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Karalı FS, Maviş İ, Cinar N. Comparison of language and narrative features of individuals among amnestic mild cognitive impairment and healthy adults. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03669-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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15
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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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16
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Clausi S, Siciliano L, Olivito G, Leggio M. Cerebellum and Emotion in Social Behavior. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1378:235-253. [PMID: 35902475 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-99550-8_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that the cerebellum plays a crucial role not only in the motor and cognitive domains but also in emotions and social behavior. In the present chapter, after a general introduction on the significance of the emotional components of social behavior, we describe recent efforts to understand the contributions of the cerebellum in social cognition focusing on the emotional and affective aspects. Specifically, starting from the description of the cerebello-cortical networks subtending the social-affective domains, we illustrate the most recent findings on the social cerebellum and the possible functional mechanisms by which the cerebellum modulate social-affective behavior. Finally, we discuss the possible consequences of cerebellar dysfunction in the social-affective domain, focusing on those neurological and psychopathological conditions in which emotional and social behavior difficulties have been described as being associated with cerebellar structural or functional alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Clausi
- Ataxia Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy. .,Psychology Department, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
| | - Libera Siciliano
- Ataxia Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy.,Psychology Department, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Giusy Olivito
- Ataxia Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy.,Psychology Department, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Leggio
- Ataxia Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy.,Psychology Department, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
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17
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Navarro E. What is theory of mind? A psychometric study of theory of mind and intelligence. Cogn Psychol 2022; 136:101495. [PMID: 35751918 DOI: 10.1016/j.cogpsych.2022.101495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Theory of mind (ToM) is an essential ability for social competence and communication, and it is necessary for understanding behaviors that differ from our own (Premack & Woodruff, 1978). Recent research suggests that tasks designed to measure ToM do not adequately capture a single ToM ability (Warnell & Redcay, 2019; Quesque & Rossetti, 2020) and, instead, might be related to tasks of general cognitive ability (Coyle, Elpers, Gonzalez, Freeman, & Baggio, 2018). This hinders the interpretation of experimental findings and puts into question the validity of the ToM construct. The current study is the first psychometric assessment of the structure of ToM to date. Comparing ToM to crystallized intelligence (Gc) and fluid intelligence (Gf), the study aims to (a) understand whether ToM should be considered a monolithic ability and (b) explore whether tasks of ToM adequately assess ToM, above and beyond general cognitive ability. For this, confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs), exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and exploratory network analysis (NMA) were conducted. The results of the models largely point to the same conclusion: while ToM tasks are not merely assessing cognitive ability, they are not purely assessing a single ToM construct either. Importantly, these findings align with recent theoretical accounts proposing that ToM should not be considered a monolithic construct (Quesque & Rossetti, 2020; Schaafsma, Pfaff, Spunt, & Adolphs, 2015, Devaine, Hollard, & Daunizeau, 2014), and should instead be explored and measured as multiple domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Navarro
- Center for Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Tufts University, School of Engineering, 177 College Ave, Medford, MA 02155, United States.
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18
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Moon H, Nam G, Hur JW. Neural correlates of affective theory of mind in medication-free nonsuicidal self-injury: An fMRI study. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:850794. [PMID: 35935406 PMCID: PMC9354394 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.850794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence indicates that emotion processing deficits are associated with nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). However, limited attention has been paid to the socio-affective functions of NSSI. In this study, we aimed to investigate the affective theory of mind (ToM) in medication-free individuals engaging in NSSI at both behavioral and neural levels. Twenty-eight individuals (mean age = 22.96 years) who engaged in NSSI and 38 age-, sex-, and IQ-matched controls (mean age = 22.79 years) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test" (RMET). All participants also completed the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSI). Although we did not find significant group differences in the RMET performance, the NSSI group, relative to the controls, exhibited significantly greater left medial superior frontal lobe activation and decreased right angular gyrus activation than did the control group. Reduced right angular gyrus activity was related to higher DERS and TAS scores across all participants. Our findings provide new evidence for aberrant neural processing of affective ToM in self-injurers. Future studies in developing intervention protocols for NSSI should focus on the multifaceted phases of socio-affective processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeri Moon
- School of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Gieun Nam
- Department of Psychology, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ji-Won Hur
- School of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
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19
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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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20
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Gao J, Wang Q, Wu Q, Weng Y, Lu H, Xu J. Spiritual care for the management of Parkinson's disease: Where we are and how far can we go. Psychogeriatrics 2022; 22:521-529. [PMID: 35644375 DOI: 10.1111/psyg.12834] [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: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
An increasing number of studies have investigated the neural networks and brain regions activated by different aspects of religious faith or spiritual practice. The extent to which religiousness and spirituality are dependent on the integrity of neural circuits is a question unique to neurological illnesses. Several studies have reported that neural networks and brain areas represent the various components of religious faith or spiritual activity in recent decades. In addition to research in healthy people, another strategy is to observe if neurological abnormalities caused by stroke, tumour, brain damage, or degenerative sickness are accompanied by an alteration in religiosity or spirituality. Similarly, Parkinson's disease (PD), an ailment characterized by dopaminergic neuron malfunction, has been utilized to explore the role of dopaminergic networks in the practice, experience, and maintenance of religious or spiritual beliefs. Case-control and priming studies have demonstrated a decline in spirituality and religion in people with PD due to dopaminergic degeneration. These studies could not adequately control for confounding variables and lacked methodological rigour. Using qualitative and quantitative assessments, a mixed-method approach might shed additional light on putative religious beliefs alterations in PD. In the current review paper, we discussed the recent research on the impact of PD on spiritual beliefs and spirituality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Gao
- Science and Research Office, Changshu Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Changshu, China
| | - Qunjuan Wang
- Neurology Department, Changshu Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Changshu, China
| | - Qin Wu
- Neurology Department, Changshu Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Changshu, China
| | - Yu Weng
- Neurology Department, Changshu Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Changshu, China
| | - Huamei Lu
- Nursing Department, Changshu Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Changshu, China
| | - Jingzhi Xu
- Neurology Department, Changshu Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Changshu, China
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21
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Piretti L, Di Tella S, Lo Monaco MR, Delle Donne V, Rumiati RI, Silveri MC. Impaired processing of conspecifics in Parkinson's disease. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. ADULT 2022:1-9. [PMID: 35689301 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2022.2074299] [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
Experimental evidence indicates that the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) processes emotional/affective features crucial to elaborate knowledge about social groups and that knowledge of social concepts is stored in the anterior temporal lobe (ATL).We investigated whether knowledge about social groups is impaired in Parkinson's disease (PD), in which dysfunctional connectivity between IFG and ATL has been demonstrated.PD patients (N = 20) and healthy controls (HC, N = 16) were given a lexical decision task in a semantic priming paradigm: the prime-targets included 144 words and 144 pseudowords, each preceded by three types of prime ("animals," "things," "persons"). Out of these 288 prime-targets, forty-eight were congruent (same category) and 96 incongruent (different category). Out of 48 congruent prime-targets, 24 denoted social items and 24 nonsocial items. Thus, four types of trials were obtained: congruent social; congruent nonsocial; incongruent social; incongruent nonsocial.Congruent target-words were recognized better than incongruent target-words by all groups. The semantic priming effect was preserved in PD; however, accuracy was significantly lower in PD than in HC in social items. No difference emerged between the two groups in nonsocial items.Impaired processing of words denoting social groups in PD may be due to impairment in accessing the affective/emotional features that characterize conceptual knowledge of social groups, for the functional disconnection between the IFG and the ATL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Piretti
- Neuroscience Area, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Sonia Di Tella
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Raffaella Ida Rumiati
- Neuroscience Area, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Maria Caterina Silveri
- Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, IRCSS, Rome, Italy
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22
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Hamilton LJ, Gourley AN, Krendl AC. They Cannot, They Will Not, or We Are Asking the Wrong Questions: Re-examining Age-Related Decline in Social Cognition. Front Psychol 2022; 13:894522. [PMID: 35645861 PMCID: PMC9131941 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.894522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Social cognition is critical for successfully navigating social relationships. Current evidence suggests that older adults exhibit poorer performance in several core social-cognitive domains compared to younger adults. Neurocognitive decline is commonly discussed as one of the key arbiters of age-related decline in social-cognitive abilities. While evidence supports this notion, age effects are likely attributable to multiple factors. This paper aims to recontextualize past evidence by focusing issues of motivation, task design, and representative samples. In light of these issues, we identify directions for future research to aide our understanding of social-cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas J Hamilton
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Amy N Gourley
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Anne C Krendl
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
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23
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Mendez MF. THE IMPLICATIONS OF FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA FOR BRAIN DYSFUNCTION IN PSYCHOPATHY. Biol Psychol 2022; 171:108342. [PMID: 35487297 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108342] [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: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how psychopathy compares with brain disease can help clarify its underlying mechanisms. This literature review is a broad overview of the neurobiology of psychopathic traits in comparison to behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), a disorder uniquely associated with criminal behavior. In addition to violation of social norms, both psychopathy and bvFTD result in impaired socioemotional perception and empathy, impulsivity, and altered moral judgment. Despite wide areas of decreased function in psychopathy, structural changes are primarily evident in amygdala and, to a lesser extent, anterior insula, whereas in bvFTD neuropathology involves a wider paralimbic region. In psychopathy, relatively intact medial prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices facilitate theory of mind and psychopathic traits such as deceitfulness and manipulation, bold fearlessness, and risk-taking behavior. In conclusion, many frontotemporal areas are hypoactive in psychopathy and bvFTD, but differences in dysfunctional connectivity in psychopathy vs. direct involvement in bvFTD potentially explain similarities and differences between these two conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario F Mendez
- Department of Neurology and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA); Neurology Service, Neurobehavior Unit, V.A. Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.
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24
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Zhang Y, Wang J, Sun T, Wang L, Li T, Li H, Zheng Y, Fan Z, Zhang M, Tu L, Yu X, Wang H. Decision-Making Profiles and Their Associations with Cognitive Performance in Mild Cognitive Impairment. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 87:1215-1227. [PMID: 35431239 DOI: 10.3233/jad-215440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Background: It is crucial for older adults, especially those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), to make profitable decisions routinely. However, the results regarding decision-making (DM) remain inconsistent. Objective: The present study assessed DM profiles under uncertainty conditions in individuals with MCI and their associations with multi-domain cognitive performance. Method: Fifty-three patients with MCI and forty-two age-, gender-, and education level-matched healthy controls (HCs) were administered a comprehensive neuropsychological battery test. The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and Game of Dice Task (GDT) were used to assess DM competence in conditions involving ambiguity and risk, respectively. In addition, Spearman’s correlations were used to examine relationships between GDT and multi-domain cognitive performance. Result: The final capital (FC) and frequency of utilization of negative feedback (FUNF) and positive feedback (FUPF) in the GDT were lower in MCI patients than in HCs. In addition, the number of shifts between safe and risky alternatives was significantly different across groups. However, IGT performance was comparable across groups. In the MCI patients, risky DM performance was associated with language, whereas in HCs was correlated with memory and executive functions. Besides, in MCI, performance on IGT was significantly correlated with social cognition. Conclusion: Individuals with mild cognitive impairment have difficulty utilizing feedback to make optimal decisions under risky situations. The association between decision-making performance and cognitive function is divergent regarding situational uncertainty and individuals’ cognitive status. In mild cognitive impairment and normal aging, decision-making under ambiguity needs further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- Dementia Care & Research Center, Beijing Dementia Key Lab, Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Dementia Care & Research Center, Beijing Dementia Key Lab, Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Sun
- Dementia Care & Research Center, Beijing Dementia Key Lab, Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychiatry, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Luchun Wang
- Dementia Care & Research Center, Beijing Dementia Key Lab, Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Li
- Dementia Care & Research Center, Beijing Dementia Key Lab, Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Huizi Li
- Dementia Care & Research Center, Beijing Dementia Key Lab, Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Yaonan Zheng
- Dementia Care & Research Center, Beijing Dementia Key Lab, Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Zili Fan
- Dementia Care & Research Center, Beijing Dementia Key Lab, Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing, China
- Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- Dementia Care & Research Center, Beijing Dementia Key Lab, Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychiatry, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lihui Tu
- Dementia Care & Research Center, Beijing Dementia Key Lab, Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing, China
- Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Yu
- Dementia Care & Research Center, Beijing Dementia Key Lab, Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Huali Wang
- Dementia Care & Research Center, Beijing Dementia Key Lab, Peking University Institute of Mental Health (Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Beijing, China
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25
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Maranzano A, Poletti B, Solca F, Torre S, Colombo E, Faré M, Ferrucci R, Carelli L, Verde F, Morelli C, Silani V, Ticozzi N. Upper motor neuron dysfunction is associated with the presence of behavioural impairment in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Eur J Neurol 2022; 29:1402-1409. [PMID: 34989063 DOI: 10.1111/ene.15243] [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: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Increasing evidence shows that approximately half of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) display cognitive (ALSci) or behavioural (ALSbi) impairment, or both (ALScbi). The aim of our study was to assess whether the burden of upper and lower motor neuron involvement is associated with the presence of cognitive and behavioural impairment. METHODS A single-centre retrospective cohort of 110 Italian ALS patients was evaluated to assess correlations between motor and cognitive/behavioural phenotypes. Upper motor neuron regional involvement was measured with the Penn Upper Motor Neuron Score (PUMNS), whilst lower motor neuron signs were assessed using the Lower Motor Neuron Score. The Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen-Italian version and the Frontal Behaviour Inventory were administered to evaluate patients' cognitive and behavioural profiles. RESULTS The PUMNS at first visit was significantly higher in behaviourally impaired ALS patients (ALSbi and ALScbi) compared to behaviourally unimpaired individuals (ALS and ALSci) (9.9 vs. 6.9, p = 0.014). Concerning the different Frontal Behaviour Inventory subdomains, higher PUMNS correlated with the presence of apathy, emotive indifference, inflexibility, inattention, perseveration and aggressiveness. CONCLUSION To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that a clinical prominent upper motor neuron dysfunction is associated with a more significant behavioural impairment in ALS patients, suggesting the hypothesis of a preferential spreading of the pathology from the motor cortex to the ventromedial prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortex in this group of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Maranzano
- Department of Neurology, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, Italy.,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, 'Dino Ferrari' Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Poletti
- Department of Neurology, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Solca
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, 'Dino Ferrari' Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Torre
- Department of Neurology, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Eleonora Colombo
- Department of Neurology, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, Italy.,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, 'Dino Ferrari' Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Faré
- Department of Neurology, Ospedale San Gerardo ASST, Monza, Italy.,School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Roberta Ferrucci
- 'Aldo Ravelli' Center for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, Department of Health Sciences, International Medical School, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.,ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Neurology Clinic III, Milan, Italy.,Department of Neurology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Carelli
- Department of Neurology, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Federico Verde
- Department of Neurology, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, Italy.,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, 'Dino Ferrari' Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Morelli
- Department of Neurology, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Silani
- Department of Neurology, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, Italy.,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, 'Dino Ferrari' Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Ticozzi
- Department of Neurology, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, Italy.,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, 'Dino Ferrari' Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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26
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Lin YH, Hsin YL, Li RH, Liu CK, Wang RY, Wang WH. The effect of facial expression intensity on emotion recognition and psychosocial performance in patients with frontal or temporal lobe epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 2022; 126:108462. [PMID: 34896784 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.108462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE No studies have examined the relationship between the intensity of facial emotion expression and theory of mind (ToM) ability in people with epilepsy. This study aimed to explore facial emotion recognition in a group of patients with frontal (FLE) or temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and its relationship with the intensities of perceived facial emotion expressions, ToM, and social functioning. METHODS Twenty-six patients with FLE or TLE and 30 matched controls were included in the study. All participants completed the facial emotion recognition test, Faux Pas Recognition (FPR) test measuring advanced ToM, Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, Social and Occupational Functioning Scale for Epilepsy (SOFSE), and background neuropsychological tests. RESULTS The patient group was significantly worse than the control group in recognizing facial expressions of negative emotions, particularly for medium-intensity facial expression of fear. There was no significant difference between the groups in recognizing high-intensity fear facial expressions. The scores of FPR (overall and affective ToMs) in the patient group were significantly lower than those in the control group. Additionally, the facial emotion recognition was significantly associated with the total score of FPR, and the FPR total score remarkably correlated with the Communication subscale score of the SOFSE. CONCLUSIONS Patients with FLE or TLE had impaired ability to recognize medium-intensity facial expressions of fear. Moreover, patients' ToM deficit significantly correlated not only with their emotion recognition problem but also with their social-communicative competence. Nevertheless, we also found that increasing the intensity of expression can improve the accuracy of emotion recognition in patients with epilepsy. These findings may provide considerations for further longitudinal studies and interventions on the social difficulties of people with epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yen-Hsi Lin
- Department of Psychology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yue-Loong Hsin
- Department of Neurology, Chung Shan Medical University and Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ren-Hau Li
- Department of Psychology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Kai Liu
- Department of Psychology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ren-You Wang
- Department of Psychology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Han Wang
- Department of Psychology, Kaohsiung Medical University and Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taiwan.
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27
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Campanella F, West T, Dell'Acqua CC, Skrap M. Cognitive and affective theory of mind double dissociation after parietal and temporal lobe tumours. Brain 2021; 145:1818-1829. [PMID: 34919647 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Extensive neuroimaging literature suggests that understanding others' thoughts and emotions engages a wide network encompassing parietal, temporal and medial frontal brain areas. However, the causal role played by these regions in social inferential abilities is still unclear. Moreover very little is known about ToM deficits in brain tumours and whether potential anatomical substrates are comparable to those identified in fMRI literature. This study evaluated the performance of 105 tumour patients, before and immediately after brain surgery, on a cartoon-based non-verbal task evaluating Cognitive (Intention Attribution) and Affective (Emotion Attribution) ToM, as well as a non-social control condition (Causal Inference). Across multiple analyses, we found converging evidence of a double dissociation between patients with right superior parietal damage, selectively impaired in Intention Attribution, and those with right antero-medial temporal lesion, exhibiting deficits only in Emotion attribution. Instead, patients with damage to the frontal cortex were impaired in all kinds of inferential processes, including those from the non-social control conditions. Overall, our data provides novel reliable causal evidence of segregation between different aspects of the ToM network from both the cognitive and also the anatomical point of view.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Campanella
- Neurosurgery Unit, Presidio Ospedaliero Universitario "S. Maria della Misericordia", Udine, Italy.,Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34100 Trieste, Italy
| | - Thomas West
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34100 Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Miran Skrap
- Neurosurgery Unit, Presidio Ospedaliero Universitario "S. Maria della Misericordia", Udine, Italy
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28
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Valera-Bermejo JM, De Marco M, Mitolo M, Cerami C, Dodich A, Venneri A. Large-Scale Functional Networks, Cognition and Brain Structures Supporting Social Cognition and Theory of Mind Performance in Prodromal to Mild Alzheimer's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:766703. [PMID: 34867292 PMCID: PMC8636093 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.766703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Impairment of social cognition (SC) skills such as recognition and attribution of intentions and affective states of others (Theory of Mind, ToM) has been evidenced in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). This study investigated the neuropsychological, neuroanatomical and brain-functional underpinnings of SC processing to obtain an understanding of the social neurophenotype in early probable AD. Forty-six patients with mild cognitive impairment and mild probable AD underwent SC assessment including emotion recognition (Ekman-60-faces task) and cognitive and affective ToM (Reading-the-Mind-in-the-Eyes test and Story-based Empathy task). Linear models tested the association between SC scores and neuropsychological measures, grey matter maps and large-scale functional networks activity. The executive domain had the most predominant association with SC scores in the cognitive profile. Grey matter volume of the anterior cingulate, orbitofrontal, temporoparietal junction (TPJ), superior temporal, and cerebellar cortices were associated with ToM. Social cognition scores were associated with lower connectivity of the default-mode network with the prefrontal cortex. The right fronto-parietal network displayed higher inter-network connectivity in the right TPJ and insula while the salience network showed lower inter-network connectivity with the left TPJ and insula. Connectivity coupling alterations of executive-attentional networks may support default mode social-cognitive-associated decline through the recruitment of frontal executive mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matteo De Marco
- Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Micaela Mitolo
- Functional and Molecular Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Chiara Cerami
- IUSS Cognitive Neuroscience (ICoN) Center, University School for Advanced Studies IUSS-Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,Cognitive Computational Neuroscience Research Unit, Mondino Foundation IRCCS, Pavia, Italy
| | - Alessandra Dodich
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), Università degli Studi di Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Annalena Venneri
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.,Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, London, United Kingdom
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29
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Measuring social cognition in frontotemporal lobar degeneration: a clinical approach. J Neurol 2021; 269:2227-2244. [PMID: 34797433 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-021-10889-9] [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: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Alterations in social cognition, a broad term indicating our ability to understand others and adapt our behavior accordingly, have been the focus of growing attention in the past years. Some neurological conditions, such as those belonging to the frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) spectrum, are associated to varying degrees with social cognition deficits, encompassing problems with theory of mind (ToM), empathy, perception of social stimuli, and social behavior. In this review, we outline a clinical framework for the evaluation of social cognition and discuss its role in the assessment of patients affected by a range of FTLD conditions.
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30
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Magno MA, Canu E, Filippi M, Agosta F. Social cognition in the FTLD spectrum: evidence from MRI. J Neurol 2021; 269:2245-2258. [PMID: 34797434 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-021-10892-0] [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: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Over the past few years, there has been great interest in social cognition, a wide term referring to the human ability of understanding others' emotions, thoughts, and intentions, to empathize with them and to behave accordingly. While there is no agreement on the classification of social cognitive processes, they can broadly be categorized as consisting of theory of mind, empathy, social perception, and social behavior. The study of social cognition and its relative deficits is increasingly assuming clinical relevance. However, the clinical and neuroanatomical correlates of social cognitive alterations in neurodegenerative conditions, such as those belonging to the frontotemporal lobar (FTLD) spectrum, are not fully established. In this review, we describe the current understanding of social cognition impairments in different FTLD conditions with respect to MRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Antonietta Magno
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Canu
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Filippi
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.,Neurology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Neurophysiology Service, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Neurorehabilitation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Agosta
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy. .,Neurology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy. .,Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
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31
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Li D, Liu C, Huang Z, Li H, Xu Q, Zhou B, Hu C, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Nie J, Qiao Z, Yin D, Xu X. Common and Distinct Disruptions of Cortical Surface Morphology Between Autism Spectrum Disorder Children With and Without SHANK3 Deficiency. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:751364. [PMID: 34776852 PMCID: PMC8581670 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.751364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
SH3 and Multiple Ankyrin Repeat Domains 3 (SHANK3)-caused autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may present a unique opportunity to clarify the heterogeneous neuropathological mechanisms of ASD. However, the specificity and commonality of disrupted large-scale brain organization in SHANK3-deficient children remain largely unknown. The present study combined genetic tests, neurobehavioral evaluations, and magnetic resonance imaging, aiming to explore the disruptions of both local and networked cortical structural organization in ASD children with and without SHANK3 deficiency. Multiple surface morphological parameters such as cortical thickness (CT) and sulcus depth were estimated, and the graph theory was adopted to characterize the topological properties of structural covariance networks (SCNs). Finally, a correlation analysis between the alterations in brain morphological features and the neurobehavioral evaluations was performed. Compared with typically developed children, increased CT and reduced nodal degree were found in both ASD children with and without SHANK3 defects mainly in the lateral temporal cortex, prefrontal cortex (PFC), temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), superior temporal gyrus (STG), and limbic/paralimbic regions. Besides commonality, our findings showed some distinct abnormalities in ASD children with SHANK3 defects compared to those without. Locally, more changes in the STG and orbitofrontal cortex were exhibited in ASD children with SHANK3 defects, while more changes in the TPJ and inferior parietal lobe (IPL) in those without SHANK3 defects were observed. For the SCNs, a trend toward regular network topology was observed in ASD children with SHANK3 defects, but not in those without. In addition, ASD children with SHANK3 defects showed more alterations of nodal degrees in the anterior and posterior cingulate cortices and right insular, while there were more disruptions in the sensorimotor areas and the left insular and dorsomedial PFC in ASD without SHANK3 defects. Our findings indicate dissociable disruptions of local and networked brain morphological features in ASD children with and without SHANK3 deficiency. Moreover, this monogenic study may provide a valuable path for parsing the heterogeneity of brain disturbances in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongyun Li
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunxue Liu
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ziyi Huang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (Ministry of Education), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, Affiliated Mental Health Center, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.,School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huiping Li
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiong Xu
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bingrui Zhou
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunchun Hu
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingxin Nie
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhongwei Qiao
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dazhi Yin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (Ministry of Education), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, Affiliated Mental Health Center, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiu Xu
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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32
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Argento O, Spanò B, Serra L, Incerti CC, Bozzali M, Caltagirone C, Francia A, Fratino M, Nocentini U, Piacentini C, Quartuccio ME, Pisani V. Relapsing-remitting and secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis patients differ in decoding others' emotions by their eyes. Eur J Neurol 2021; 29:505-514. [PMID: 34687120 DOI: 10.1111/ene.15155] [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: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Difficulties in emotion processing and social cognition identified in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have a potential impact on their adaptation to the social environment. We aimed to explore the neural correlates of emotion recognition in MS and possible differences between relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS) patients by the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test (RMEt). METHODS A total of 43 MS patients (27 RRMS, 16 SPMS) and 25 matched healthy controls (HC) underwent clinical assessments, RMEt, and a high-resolution T1-weighted 3-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. The number of correct answers on the RMEt was compared between groups. T1-weighted volumes were processed according to an optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM) protocol to obtain gray matter (GM) maps. Voxelwise analyses were run to assess potential associations between RMEt performance and regional GM volumes. RESULTS Taken altogether, MS patients reported significantly lower performance on the RMEt compared to HC. When dividing the patients into those with RRMS and those with SPMS, only the latter group was found to perform significantly worse than HC on the RMEt. VBM analysis revealed significant association between RMEt scores and GM volumes in several cortical (temporoparieto-occipital cortex) and subcortical (hippocampus, parahippocampus, and basal ganglia) brain regions, and in the cerebellum in SPMS patients only. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that, in addition to other clinical differences between RRMS and SPMS, the ability to recognize others' emotional states may be affected in SPMS more significantly than RRMS patients. This is supported by both behavioral and MRI data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ornella Argento
- Neurology and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Santa Lucia Foundation, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Rome, Italy
| | - Barbara Spanò
- Neuroimaging Unit, Santa Lucia Foundation, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Serra
- Neuroimaging Unit, Santa Lucia Foundation, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Concetta Incerti
- Neurology and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Santa Lucia Foundation, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Bozzali
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience,, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Carlo Caltagirone
- Scientific Direction, Santa Lucia Foundation, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Rome, Italy
| | - Ada Francia
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Mariangela Fratino
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Ugo Nocentini
- Neurology and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Santa Lucia Foundation, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Rome, Italy.,Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Tor Vergata University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Piacentini
- Neurology and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Santa Lucia Foundation, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Valerio Pisani
- Neurology and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Santa Lucia Foundation, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Rome, Italy
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33
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Emotional Processing and Experience in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Systematic and Critical Review. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11101356. [PMID: 34679420 PMCID: PMC8534224 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11101356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Even though increasing literature describes changes in emotional processing in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), efforts to summarize relevant findings are lacking in the field. A systematic literature review was performed to provide a critical and up-to-date account of emotional abilities in ALS. References were identified by searches of PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus (1980–2021, English literature), with the following key terms: (“Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis” or “Primary Lateral Sclerosis” or “Motor Neuron”) and “Emotion*” and (“Processing” or “Attribution” or “Elaboration” or “Perception” or “Recognition”). Studies concerning only caregivers, pseudobulbar affect, and social cognition were excluded. Forty-one articles were included, all concerning ALS, and seven topics were identified: Emotion recognition, Emotional responsiveness, Emotional reactivity, Faces approachability rating, Valence rating, Memory for emotional materials and Alexithymia. The majority of these aspects have only been sparsely addressed. The evidence confirms altered emotional processing in ALS. The most consistent findings regard the recognition of facial expressions for negative emotions, but also alterations in the subjective responsiveness to emotional stimuli (arousal, valence and approachability), in psychophysiological and cerebral reactivity and in emotional memory, together with alexithymia traits, were reported. According to this evidence, emotional abilities should be included in the clinical assessment and therapeutic interventions.
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34
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Haines S, Butler E, Stuckey S, Hester R, Grech LB. Relationship Between Interpersonal Depressive Symptoms and Reduced Amygdala Volume in People with Multiple Sclerosis: Considerations for Clinical Practice. Int J MS Care 2021; 23:178-185. [PMID: 34483757 DOI: 10.7224/1537-2073.2020-015] [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: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background The lifetime prevalence of depression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is approximately 50% compared with around 15% in the general population. There is a relationship between depression and quality of life in people with MS and evidence that depression may contribute to disease progression. Methods This cross-sectional pilot study assessed the association between depression and regional brain atrophy, including amygdala and hippocampal volume. Forty-nine participants with MS recruited through a hospital MS clinic were administered the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale Revised (CESD-R) to investigate whether higher endorsements on the items depressive affect and interpersonal symptoms were associated with volumetric magnetic resonance imaging measurements of hippocampal and amygdala atrophy. Results Regression analysis revealed an association between depression-related interpersonal symptoms and right amygdala volume. No association was found between depression and hippocampal volume. Conclusions These results provide preliminary support for a unilateral, biologically based relationship between the right amygdala and characteristic interpersonal depressive symptoms expressed by people with MS and add to the growing body of literature implicating regional brain atrophy in MS-associated depression. Given that the interpersonal subcomponent of the CESD-R measures social functioning, and the neural networks in the amygdala are known to be implicated in processing social stimuli, this research suggests that targeted diagnosis and treatments for depression in people with MS may be particularly beneficial. Further confirmatory research of this relationship is required.
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35
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McCrackin SD, Itier RJ. I can see it in your eyes: Perceived gaze direction impacts ERP and behavioural measures of affective theory of mind. Cortex 2021; 143:205-222. [PMID: 34455372 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Looking at someone's eyes is thought to be important for affective theory of mind (aTOM), our ability to infer their emotional state. However, it is unknown whether an individual's gaze direction influences our aTOM judgements and what the time course of this influence might be. We presented participants with sentences describing individuals in positive, negative or neutral scenarios, followed by direct or averted gaze neutral face pictures of those individuals. Participants made aTOM judgements about each person's mental state, including their affective valence and arousal, and we investigated whether the face gaze direction impacted those judgements. Participants rated that gazers were feeling more positive when they displayed direct gaze as opposed to averted gaze, and that they were feeling more aroused during negative contexts when gaze was averted as opposed to direct. Event-related potentials associated with face perception and affective processing were examined using mass-univariate analyses to track the time-course of this eye-gaze and affective processing interaction at a neural level. Both positive and negative trials were differentiated from neutral trials at many stages of processing. This included the early N200 and EPN components, believed to reflect automatic emotion areas activation and attentional selection respectively. This also included the later P300 and LPP components, thought to reflect elaborative cognitive appraisal of emotional content. Critically, sentence valence and gaze direction interacted over these later components, which may reflect the incorporation of eye-gaze in the cognitive evaluation of another's emotional state. The results suggest that gaze perception directly impacts aTOM processes, and that altered eye-gaze processing in clinical populations may contribute to associated aTOM impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roxane J Itier
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada.
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Schild AK, Volk J, Scharfenberg D, Schuermann K, Meiberth D, Onur OA, Jessen F, Maier F. Social Cognition in Patients with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Dementia of the Alzheimer Type. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 83:1173-1186. [PMID: 34397409 DOI: 10.3233/jad-201126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social cognition (SC) is a core criterion for neurocognitive disorders. However, findings in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) are inconsistent. OBJECTIVE We report assessments of emotion recognition (ER), affective and cognitive theory of mind (ToM) in young (YC) and older controls (OC) compared to aMCI and DAT. METHODS 28 aMCI, 30 DAT, 30 YC, and 29 OC received tests of SC and a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. Analysis of covariance was used to determine group differences. Multiple regression models were applied to identify predictors for each SC task. RESULTS In controls, OC performed worse in ER and both ToM tasks compared to YC except for one subtest. No significant differences were found between OC and patients concerning ER and affective ToM. In cognitive ToM, differences between OC and patients depended on content and cognitive load with significant impairment in DAT compared to OC. A cognitive composite score predicted SC in OC, but not in patients. Associations of SC with single cognitive domains were found in all groups with language and complex attention as best predictors. Not all variance of SC performance was explained by variance in cognitive domains. CONCLUSION Lower performance on SC tasks in OC versus YC was confirmed, although not all tasks were equally affected. With progressive cognitive impairment, cognitive ToM is more impaired than ER or affective ToM. SC seems to be at least partly independent of other cognitive domains, justifying its inclusion in batteries for dementia diagnostic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Katrin Schild
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jenny Volk
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany
| | - Daniel Scharfenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany
| | - Katrin Schuermann
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany
| | - Dix Meiberth
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Oezguer A Onur
- University Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Neurology, Cologne, Germany
| | - Frank Jessen
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.,Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Franziska Maier
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Cologne, Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany
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Delgado-Álvarez A, Pytel V, Delgado-Alonso C, Olbrich-Guzmán CM, Cortés-Martínez A, Moreno-Ramos T, Montero-Escribano P, Matías-Guiu J, Matias-Guiu JA. Development, Spanish Normative Data, and Validation of a Social Cognition Battery in Prodromal Alzheimer's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2021; 36:711-722. [PMID: 33264384 DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acaa114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The assessment of social cognition changes may be challenging, especially in the earliest stages of some neurodegenerative diseases. Our objective was to validate a social cognition battery from a multidomain perspective. In this regard, we aimed to adapt several tests, collect normative data, and validate them in prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD) and multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS A total of 92 healthy controls, 25 prodromal AD, and 39 MS patients were enrolled. Age-, gender-, and education-matched control groups were created for comparisons. Social cognition battery was composed of an emotion-labeling task developed from FACES database, the Story-based Empathy test (SET), the Faux Pas test, and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Patients were also evaluated with a comprehensive cognitive battery to evaluate the other cognitive domains. Automatic linear modeling was used to predict each social cognition test's performance using the neuropsychological tests examining other cognitive domains. RESULTS The reliability of the battery was moderate-high. Significant intergroup differences were found with medium-large effect sizes. Moderate correlations were found between social cognition battery and neuropsychological tests. The emotion labeling task and SET showed moderate correlations with age and education, and age, respectively. Regression-based norms were created considering the relevant demographic variables. Linear regression models including other neuropsychological tests explained between 7.7% and 68.8% of the variance of the social cognition tests performance. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides a battery for the assessment of social cognition in prodromal AD and MS with Spanish normative data to improve the evaluation in clinical and research settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Delgado-Álvarez
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Health Research Institute "San Carlos" (IdISCC), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Vanesa Pytel
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Health Research Institute "San Carlos" (IdISCC), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Delgado-Alonso
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Health Research Institute "San Carlos" (IdISCC), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Ana Cortés-Martínez
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Health Research Institute "San Carlos" (IdISCC), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Teresa Moreno-Ramos
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Health Research Institute "San Carlos" (IdISCC), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paloma Montero-Escribano
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Health Research Institute "San Carlos" (IdISCC), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jorge Matías-Guiu
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Health Research Institute "San Carlos" (IdISCC), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordi A Matias-Guiu
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Health Research Institute "San Carlos" (IdISCC), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Macchitella L, Romano DL, Marinelli CV, Toraldo DM, Arigliani M, De Benedetto M, Angelelli P. Neuropsychological and socio-cognitive deficits in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2021; 43:514-533. [PMID: 34212782 DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2021.1944609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) suffer from several neurocognitive deficits. We investigated the cognitive and socio-cognitive profiles of patients with severe OSA, controlling for potentially relevant mediating variables (i.e. age, body-mass index, cognitive reserve and depression). Moreover, we studied the neuropsychological profile of a high-risk OSA phenotype characterized by severe OSA and severe nocturnal hypoxemia.Method: We assessed 29 previously untreated severe OSA patients with a mean age of 55.6 (± 9.9 years) and a mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of 53.1 (± 17.4). A control group of 34 healthy participants was also enrolled. Participants completed an extensive neuropsychological battery that included social cognition, a relatively new investigation area among OSA patients.Data analysis: Data were analyzed with a Bayesian approach. Specifically, Bayesian ANCOVA was used to investigate whether the grouping variable could predict test performance. Age, body-mass index, cognitive reserve and state of depression were added as covariates to the null model to weight the effects of these potential confounding factors. Three groups were analyzed: healthy controls (H), OSA with severe apnea and severe nocturnal oxygen desaturation (D+), and OSA with severe apnea non-desaturators (D-). Performances on the various neuropsychological tests were treated as the dependent variables.Results: The results indicate that non-verbal reasoning, the theory of mind skills, and mental shifting ability were impaired in OSA patients. Patients with severe nocturnal hypoxemia underperformed compared to patients with the same severity of apnea but non-desaturators. Additionally, we observed a trend toward a worse performance among OSA desaturator patients in the following abilities: constructional ability, short term verbal memory, phonological fluency, and the ability to inhibit automatic and dominant responses.Conclusion: The data suggest a key role of hypoxemia in affecting cognitive functioning in OSA patients. Executive functions and the concomitant involvement of social cognition are particularly affected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Macchitella
- Department of History, Society and Human Studies - Lab of Applied Psychology and Intervention, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Daniele Luigi Romano
- Department of History, Society and Human Studies - Lab of Applied Psychology and Intervention, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy.,Department of Psychology and Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMi), University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Valeria Marinelli
- Department of History, Society and Human Studies - Lab of Applied Psychology and Intervention, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | | | - Michele Arigliani
- Department of ENT (Otolaryngology), "V. Fazzi" Hospital, Lecce, Italy
| | | | - Paola Angelelli
- Department of History, Society and Human Studies - Lab of Applied Psychology and Intervention, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
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Lee S, Jacobsen EP, Jia Y, Snitz BE, Chang CCH, Ganguli M. Reading the Mind in the Eyes: A Population-Based Study of Social Cognition in Older Adults. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2021; 29:634-642. [PMID: 33293250 PMCID: PMC8166961 DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2020.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social cognition indicates the cognitive processes involved in perceiving, interpreting, and processing social information. Although it is one of the six core DSM-5 cognitive domains for diagnosing neurocognitive disorders, it is not routinely assessed in older adults. The Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test assesses Theory of Mind, the social cognition mechanism which forms the root of empathy. OBJECTIVES To describe the distribution of, and factors associated with, scores on a 10-item version of Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET-10) in older adults. DESIGN Population-based cross-sectional study. SETTING Small-town communities in Pennsylvania. PARTICIPANTS Adults aged 66-105 years (N = 902, mean age = 76.6). MEASUREMENTS The assessment included RMET-10, demographics, cognitive screening, literacy, depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, cognitive composites derived from a neuropsychological test battery, Social Norms Questionnaire, and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR). RESULTS RMET-10 score was normally distributed in our overall study sample. Normative RMET-10 scores among those rated as CDR = 0 were calculated by age, sex, and education. RMET-10 score was significantly higher with younger age, higher education, white race, higher cognitive screening scores, literacy, social norms scores, higher scores in all five domains in cognitive composites, and lower CDR. RMET-10 score was also significantly higher with fewer depression and anxiety symptoms after adjusting for demographics. CONCLUSIONS The RMET is a potentially useful measure of social cognition for use in the research assessment of older adults. With appropriate calibration it should also have utility in the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soyoung Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine (SL, EPJ, MG), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Erin P Jacobsen
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine (SL, EPJ, MG), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Yichen Jia
- Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health (YJ, CCHC), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Beth E Snitz
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine (BES, MG), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Chung-Chou H Chang
- Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health (YJ, CCHC), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; Department of Medicine, School of Medicine (CCHC), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Mary Ganguli
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine (SL, EPJ, MG), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; Department of Neurology, School of Medicine (BES, MG), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health (MG), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
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Salehinejad MA, Paknia N, Hosseinpour AH, Yavari F, Vicario CM, Nitsche MA, Nejati V. Contribution of the right temporoparietal junction and ventromedial prefrontal cortex to theory of mind in autism: A randomized, sham-controlled tDCS study. Autism Res 2021; 14:1572-1584. [PMID: 34018333 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Theory of mind (ToM) is the ability to attribute subjective mental states to oneself and others and is significantly impaired in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A frontal-posterior network of regions including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and temporoparietal junction (TPJ) is involved in ToM. Previous studies show an underactivation of these regions in ASD. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation method for causally investigating brain-behavior relationships via induction of cortical excitability alterations. tDCS, mostly over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, has been increasingly applied for improving behavioral problems in ASD leaving other potentially interesting regions untouched. Here we investigated contribution of the vmPFC and right TPJ in ToM abilities of ASD children via tDCS in a pilot study. Sixteen children with ASD (mean age = 10.7 ± 1.9) underwent three tDCS sessions (1 mA, 20 min) in a randomized, sham-controlled design. Stimulation protocols included: (a) anodal vmPFC tDCS, (b) anodal r-TPJ tDCS, and (c) sham tDCS. ToM abilities were explored during tDCS using the theory of mind test (TOMT). Our results show that activation of the vmPFC with anodal tDCS significantly improved ToM in children with ASD compared with both, r-TPJ tDCS, and sham stimulation. Specifically, precursors of ToM (e.g., emotion recognition, perception, and imitation) and elementary ToM skills (e.g., first-order mental state reasoning) were significantly improved by anodal vmPFC tDCS. Based on these results, the vmPFC could be a potential target region for the reduction of ASD symptoms via noninvasive brain stimulation, which should be examined in larger detail in future studies. LAY SUMMARY: Theory of mind (ToM) is the ability to infer mental states of oneself and others, which is impaired in autism. Brain imaging studies have shown involvement of two brain regions in ToM (ventromedial prefrontal cortex, temporoparietal junction) which are underactivated in autism. We increased activation of these regions via noninvasive brain stimulation in this experiment to see how it would affect ToM abilities in autism. We found that increased activation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex improved ToM abilities in children with autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Ali Salehinejad
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Nasim Paknia
- Department of Rehabilitation Counseling, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Science, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Hossein Hosseinpour
- Department of Rehabilitation Counseling, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Science, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Yavari
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Carmelo M Vicario
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cognitive, Psicologiche, Pedagogiche e degli studi culturali, Universita' di Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Michael A Nitsche
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Dortmund, Germany.,University Medical Hospital Bergmannsheil, Department of Neurology, Bochum, Germany
| | - Vahid Nejati
- Department of Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
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Similar Theory of Mind Deficits in Community Dwelling Older Adults with Vascular Risk Profile and Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment: The Case of Paradoxical Sarcasm Comprehension. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11050627. [PMID: 34068226 PMCID: PMC8153105 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies deal with disorders and deficits caused by vascular syndrome in efforts for prediction and prevention. Cardiovascular health declines with age due to vascular risk factors, and this leads to an increasing risk of cognitive decline. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is defined as the negative cognitive changes beyond what is expected in normal aging. The purpose of the study was to compare older adults with vascular risk factors (VRF), MCI patients, and healthy controls (HC) in social cognition and especially in theory of mind ability (ToM). The sample comprised a total of 109 adults, aged 50 to 85 years (M = 66.09, SD = 9.02). They were divided into three groups: (a) older adults with VRF, (b) MCI patients, and (c) healthy controls (HC). VRF and MCI did not differ significantly in age, educational level or gender as was the case with HC. Specifically, for assessing ToM, a social inference test was used, which was designed to measure sarcasm comprehension. Results showed that the performance of the VRF group and MCI patients is not differentiated, while HC performed higher compared to the other two groups. The findings may imply that the development of a vascular disorder affecting vessels of the brain is associated from its “first steps” to ToM decline, at least regarding specific aspects of it, such as paradoxical sarcasm understanding.
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Ziccardi S, Pitteri M, Genova HM, Calabrese M. Social Cognition in Multiple Sclerosis: A 3-Year Follow-Up MRI and Behavioral Study. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:diagnostics11030484. [PMID: 33803307 PMCID: PMC8001246 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11030484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Social cognition (SC) has become a topic of widespread interest in the last decade. SC deficits were described in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, in association with amygdala lesions, even in those without formal cognitive impairment. In this 3-year follow-up study, we aimed at longitudinally investigating the evolution of SC deficits and amygdala damage in a group of cognitive-normal MS patients, and the association between SC and psychological well-being. After 3 years (T3) from the baseline examination (T0), 26 relapsing-remitting MS patients (RRMS) were retested with a neuropsychological battery and SC tasks (theory of mind, facial emotion recognition, empathy). A SC composite score (SCcomp) was calculated for each patient. Emotional state, fatigue, and quality of life (QoL) were also evaluated. RRMS patients at T3 underwent a 3T-MRI as performed at T0, from which were calculated both volume and cortical lesion volume (CLV) of the amygdalae. Compared to T0, at T3 all RRMS patients were still cognitive-normal and remained stable in their global SC impaired performance. At T0, SCcomp correlated with amygdala CLV (p = 0.002) while, at T3, was more associated with amygdala volume (p = 0.035) rather than amygdala CLV (p = 0.043). SCcomp change T3-T0 correlated with global emotional state (p = 0.043), depression (p = 0.046), anxiety (p = 0.034), fatigue (p = 0.025), and QoL-social functioning (p = 0.033). We showed the longitudinal stability of SC deficits in cognitive-normal RRMS patients, mirroring the amygdala structural damage and the psychological well-being. These results highlight that SC exerts a key role in MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Ziccardi
- Neurology Section, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy;
- Correspondence: (S.Z.); (M.C.)
| | - Marco Pitteri
- Neurology Section, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy;
| | - Helen M. Genova
- Kessler Foundation, 120 Eagle’Rock Ave, Suite 100, East Hanover, NJ 07936, USA;
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07101, USA
| | - Massimiliano Calabrese
- Neurology Section, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy;
- Correspondence: (S.Z.); (M.C.)
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Dodich A, Crespi C, Santi GC, Luzzi S, Ranaldi V, Iannaccone S, Marcone A, Zamboni M, Cappa SF, Cerami C. Diagnostic Accuracy of Affective Social Tasks in the Clinical Classification Between the Behavioral Variant of Frontotemporal Dementia and Other Neurodegenerative Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 80:1401-1411. [PMID: 33682708 DOI: 10.3233/jad-201210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Severe socio-emotional impairments characterize the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). However, literature reports social cognition disorders in other dementias. OBJECTIVE In this study, we investigated the accuracy of social cognition performances in the early and differential diagnosis of bvFTD. METHODS We included 131 subjects: 32 bvFTD, 26 Alzheimer's disease (AD), 16 primary progressive aphasia (PPA), 17 corticobasal syndrome (CBS), and 40 healthy control (HC). Each subject completed the Ekman 60 faces (Ek-60F) test assessing basic emotion recognition and the Story-based Empathy Task (SET) assessing attribution of intentions/emotions. A combined social measure (i.e., Emotion Recognition and Attribution (ERA) index) was calculated. One-way ANOVA has been used to compare performances among groups, while receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve tested measures ability to distinguish subjects with and without bvFTD. RESULTS Ek-60F and ERA index scores were significantly lower in bvFTD versus HC, AD, and PPA groups. ROC analyses significantly distinguished bvFTD from HC (AUC 0.82-0.92), with the Ek-60F test showing the highest performance, followed by the ERA index. These two social measures showed the best accuracy in detecting bvFTD from AD (AUC 0.78-0.74) and PPA (AUC 0.80-0.76). Investigated measures failed in detecting bvFTD from CBS. CONCLUSION Accuracy analyses support the advantage of using social cognition tests for bvFTD diagnosis. Short social battery may reduce uncertainties and improve disease identification in clinical settings. We recommend a revision of current clinical criteria considering neuropsychological deficits in emotion recognition and processing tasks as key cognitive markers of this neurodegenerative syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Dodich
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences - CIMeC, University of Trento, Rovereto (TN), Italy
| | - Chiara Crespi
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,Cognitive Computational Neuroscience Research Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Gaia C Santi
- Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Simona Luzzi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Polytechnic University of Marche - Ospedali Riuniti, Ancona, Italy
| | - Valentina Ranaldi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Polytechnic University of Marche - Ospedali Riuniti, Ancona, Italy
| | - Sandro Iannaccone
- Department of Rehabilitation and Functional Recovery, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandra Marcone
- Department of Rehabilitation and Functional Recovery, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Zamboni
- Department of Rehabilitation and Functional Recovery, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano F Cappa
- Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,Dementia Research Center, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Chiara Cerami
- Cognitive Computational Neuroscience Research Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.,Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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Doskas T, Vavougios GD, Karampetsou P, Kormas C, Synadinakis E, Stavrogianni K, Sionidou P, Serdari A, Vorvolakos T, Iliopoulos I, Vadikolias Κ. Neurocognitive impairment and social cognition in multiple sclerosis. Int J Neurosci 2021; 132:1229-1244. [PMID: 33527857 DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2021.1879066] [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: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE/AIM OF THE STUDY The impairment of neurocognitive functions occurs in all subtypes of multiple sclerosis, even from the earliest stages of the disease. Commonly reported manifestations of cognitive impairment include deficits in attention, conceptual reasoning, processing efficiency, information processing speed, memory (episodic and working), verbal fluency (language), and executive functions. Multiple sclerosis patients also suffer from social cognition impairment, which affects their social functioning. The objective of the current paper is to assess the effect of neurocognitive impairment and its potential correlation with social cognition performance and impairment in multiple sclerosis patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS An overview of the available-to-date literature on neurocognitive impairment and social cognition performance in multiple sclerosis patients by disease subtype was performed. RESULTS It is not clear if social cognition impairment occurs independently or secondarily to neurocognitive impairment. There are associations of variable strengths between neurocognitive and social cognition deficits and their neural basis is increasingly investigated. CONCLUSIONS The prompt detection of neurocognitive predictors of social cognition impairment that may be applicable to all multiple sclerosis subtypes and intervention are crucial to prevent further neural and social cognition decline in multiple sclerosis patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Triantafyllos Doskas
- Department of Neurology, Athens Naval Hospital, Athens, Greece.,Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Aspasia Serdari
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Theofanis Vorvolakos
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Ioannis Iliopoulos
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece
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The neurobiological underpinning of the social cognition impairments in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 2. Cortex 2021; 138:101-112. [PMID: 33677324 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Clinical studies described emotional and social behaviour alterations in patients with cerebellar diseases, proposing a role of specific cerebello-cerebral circuits in social cognition. However, for a long time these difficulties were underestimated, and no studies have addressed the correlation between social cognition deficits and topography of the cerebellar damage. The present study aims to investigate the social cognition impairment and the neuroanatomical alterations in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) and to analyze their relationship. To this purpose a social cognition battery composed by three tests, and a MRI protocol were administered to 13 SCA2 patients and 26 healthy subjects. The pattern of gray matter (GM) atrophy was analyzed by voxel-based morphometry, and the GM volumes of each altered area were correlated with the behavioral scores to investigate anatomo-functional relationships. In addition, we investigated the relationship between social deficits and damage to the cerebellar peduncles using DTI diffusivity indices. Our patients showed impairment of the immediate perceptual component of the mental state recognition (i.e., to recognize feelings and thoughts from the eyes expression), and difficulties in anger attribution, and in the understanding of false or mistaken beliefs. They showed a pattern of GM reduction in cerebellar regions, including lobules IX and VIIIb and Crus II, all of which are involved in specific components of the mentalizing process. Interestingly, the behavioral performance, in which SCA2 patients showed impairments compared to controls, correlated with the degree of cerebellar GM reduction and with the presence of microstructural abnormalities in the cerebellar peduncles. The present study provides the first characterization of the social cognition deficits in a homogenous cohort SCA2 patients and demonstrates that alterations in specific cerebellar regions should represent the neurobiological underpinning of their social behavior difficulties. Our results offer a new point of view in considering these aspects in the clinical practice.
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Rosell-Clari V, Hernández-Sacristán C, Cervera-Crespo T, Lorenzo-Cordero À. Assessing natural metalinguistic skills in people with Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2021; 89:106058. [PMID: 33316623 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2020.106058] [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: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this paper is to assess whether the use of natural metalinguistic skills can be used to differentiate linguistic-communicative profiles of people with dementia (Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia in the behavioural and primary progressive aphasia variants) in the earliest stages of the disease. METHOD A sample of 180 people was selected. Sixty had Alzheimer's disease, 20 had frontotemporal dementia of the behavioural variant, and 40 had frontotemporal dementia of the primary progressive aphasia variant (20 had non-fluent primary progressive aphasia and 20 had semantic dementia). The control group was composed of 60 healthy people with ages, gender, and professions as similar as possible to those of the people in the dementia groups. All the participants were administered the Spanish adaptation of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) to assess dementia severity. To assess the use of natural metalinguistic skills, a 40-item test (MetAphAs), specifically designed for this aim, was administered. RESULTS The test showed high internal validity and high positive correlations with the MMSE. Statistically significant differences were observed in the total scores on this test and in the scores on each of its sections, when comparing the whole group and the subgroups of people with dementia with the control group. Additionally, the scores on most of the sections of the MetAphAs test presented statistically significant differences when the different subgroups of people with dementia were compared. CONCLUSIONS A test like the MetAphAs, specifically designed to assess natural metalinguistic abilities, may be useful for obtaining differential communicative-linguistic profiles according to the type of dementia in the early stages of the disease. However, additional research is needed to obtain more conclusive results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicent Rosell-Clari
- Department of Basic Psychology, University of Valencia, 21 Blasco Ibanez Avenue, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Carlos Hernández-Sacristán
- Department of Linguistics and Communication Sciences, University of Valencia, 32 Blasco Ibanez Avenue, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Teresa Cervera-Crespo
- Department of Basic Psychology, University of Valencia, 21 Blasco Ibanez Avenue, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Àgata Lorenzo-Cordero
- Department of Basic Psychology, University of Valencia, 21 Blasco Ibanez Avenue, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
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Van Overwalle F, Manto M, Cattaneo Z, Clausi S, Ferrari C, Gabrieli JDE, Guell X, Heleven E, Lupo M, Ma Q, Michelutti M, Olivito G, Pu M, Rice LC, Schmahmann JD, Siciliano L, Sokolov AA, Stoodley CJ, van Dun K, Vandervert L, Leggio M. Consensus Paper: Cerebellum and Social Cognition. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2020; 19:833-868. [PMID: 32632709 PMCID: PMC7588399 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-020-01155-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The traditional view on the cerebellum is that it controls motor behavior. Although recent work has revealed that the cerebellum supports also nonmotor functions such as cognition and affect, only during the last 5 years it has become evident that the cerebellum also plays an important social role. This role is evident in social cognition based on interpreting goal-directed actions through the movements of individuals (social "mirroring") which is very close to its original role in motor learning, as well as in social understanding of other individuals' mental state, such as their intentions, beliefs, past behaviors, future aspirations, and personality traits (social "mentalizing"). Most of this mentalizing role is supported by the posterior cerebellum (e.g., Crus I and II). The most dominant hypothesis is that the cerebellum assists in learning and understanding social action sequences, and so facilitates social cognition by supporting optimal predictions about imminent or future social interaction and cooperation. This consensus paper brings together experts from different fields to discuss recent efforts in understanding the role of the cerebellum in social cognition, and the understanding of social behaviors and mental states by others, its effect on clinical impairments such as cerebellar ataxia and autism spectrum disorder, and how the cerebellum can become a potential target for noninvasive brain stimulation as a therapeutic intervention. We report on the most recent empirical findings and techniques for understanding and manipulating cerebellar circuits in humans. Cerebellar circuitry appears now as a key structure to elucidate social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Van Overwalle
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mario Manto
- Mediathèque Jean Jacquy, Service de Neurologie, CHU-Charleroi, Charleroi, Belgium
- Service des Neurosciences, Université de Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Zaira Cattaneo
- University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Silvia Clausi
- Ataxia Laboratory, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - John D. E. Gabrieli
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA
| | - Xavier Guell
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA
- Ataxia Unit, Cognitive Behavioral Neurology Unit, Laboratory for Neuroanatomy and Cerebellar Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Elien Heleven
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Michela Lupo
- Ataxia Laboratory, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy
| | - Qianying Ma
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marco Michelutti
- Service de Neurologie & Neuroscape@NeuroTech Platform, Département des Neurosciences Cliniques, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Service de Neurologie Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Giusy Olivito
- Ataxia Laboratory, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Min Pu
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Laura C. Rice
- Department of Psychology and Department of Neuroscience, American University, Washington, DC USA
| | - Jeremy D. Schmahmann
- Ataxia Unit, Cognitive Behavioral Neurology Unit, Laboratory for Neuroanatomy and Cerebellar Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Libera Siciliano
- Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Arseny A. Sokolov
- Service de Neurologie & Neuroscape@NeuroTech Platform, Département des Neurosciences Cliniques, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Service de Neurologie Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology, University Neurorehabilitation, University Hospital Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London (UCL), London, UK
- Neuroscape Center, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Catherine J. Stoodley
- Department of Psychology and Department of Neuroscience, American University, Washington, DC USA
| | - Kim van Dun
- Neurologic Rehabilitation Research, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Larry Vandervert
- American Nonlinear Systems, 1529 W. Courtland Avenue, Spokane, WA 99205-2608 USA
| | - Maria Leggio
- Ataxia Laboratory, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE A large literature now shows that Alzheimer's disease (AD) disrupts a number of social cognitive abilities, including social perceptual function and theory of mind (ToM). However, less well understood is how the specific subcomponents of ToM as well as both the broader and specific subcomponents of empathic processing are affected. METHOD The current study provides the first meta-analytic review of AD that focuses on both empathy and ToM as broad constructs, as well as their overlapping (cognitive empathy and affective ToM) and distinct (affective empathy and cognitive ToM) subcomponents. RESULTS Aggregated across 31 studies, the results revealed that, relative to controls, AD is associated with large-sized deficits in both cognitive ToM (g = 1.09) and affective ToM/cognitive empathy (g = 0.76). However, no statistical differences were found between the AD participants and controls on affective empathic abilities (g = 0.36). CONCLUSIONS These data point to a potentially important disconnect between core aspects of social cognitive processing in people with AD. The practical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.
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Grigorescu C, Chalah MA, Lefaucheur JP, Kümpfel T, Padberg F, Ayache SS, Palm U. Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Information Processing Speed, Working Memory, Attention, and Social Cognition in Multiple Sclerosis. Front Neurol 2020; 11:545377. [PMID: 33178103 PMCID: PMC7593675 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.545377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Cognitive impairment occurs in 40-65% of patients and could drastically affect their quality of life. Deficits could involve general cognition (e.g., attention and working memory) as well as social cognition. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), is a novel brain stimulation technique that has been assessed in the context of several neuropsychiatric symptoms, including those described in the context of MS. However, very rare trials have assessed tDCS effects on general cognition in MS, and none has tackled social cognition. The aim of this work was to assess tDCS effects on general and social cognition in MS. Eleven right-handed patients with MS received two blocks (bifrontal tDCS and sham, 2 mA, 20 min, anode/cathode over left/right prefrontal cortex) of 5 daily stimulations separated by a 3-week washout interval. Working memory and attention were, respectively, measured using N-Back Test (0-Back, 1-Back, and 2-Back) and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) at the first and fifth day of each block and 1 week later. Social cognition was evaluated using Faux Pas Test and Eyes Test at baseline and 1 week after each block. Interestingly, accuracy of 1-Back test improved following sham but not active bifrontal tDCS. Therefore, active bifrontal tDCS could have impaired working memory via cathodal stimulation of the right prefrontal cortex. No significant tDCS effects were observed on social cognitive measures and SDMT. Admitting the small sample size and the learning (practice) effect that might arise from the repetitive administration of each task, the current results should be considered as preliminary and further investigations in larger patient samples are needed to gain a closer understanding of tDCS effects on cognition in MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Grigorescu
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Moussa A Chalah
- EA 4391, Excitabilité nerveuse et thérapeutique, Université Paris-Est-Créteil, Créteil, France.,Service de Physiologie-Explorations Fonctionnelles, Hôpital Henri-Mondor, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France
| | - Jean-Pascal Lefaucheur
- EA 4391, Excitabilité nerveuse et thérapeutique, Université Paris-Est-Créteil, Créteil, France.,Service de Physiologie-Explorations Fonctionnelles, Hôpital Henri-Mondor, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France
| | - Tania Kümpfel
- Institute for Clinical Neuroimmunology, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Frank Padberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Samar S Ayache
- EA 4391, Excitabilité nerveuse et thérapeutique, Université Paris-Est-Créteil, Créteil, France.,Service de Physiologie-Explorations Fonctionnelles, Hôpital Henri-Mondor, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France
| | - Ulrich Palm
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Medical Park Chiemseeblick, Bernau, Germany
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d’Arma A, Isernia S, Di Tella S, Rovaris M, Valle A, Baglio F, Marchetti A. Social Cognition Training for Enhancing Affective and Cognitive Theory of Mind in Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis. THE JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 155:26-58. [DOI: 10.1080/00223980.2020.1818671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alessia d’Arma
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
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