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Montembeault M, Farley R, Ouellet J, Brando E, Tremblay A, Charest K, Roger É, Scherzer P, Duquette P, Rouleau I. Cognitive and affective theory of mind in young and elderly patients with multiple sclerosis. J Neuropsychol 2024. [PMID: 38982586 DOI: 10.1111/jnp.12382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Theory of mind (ToM) deficits have been reported in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). However, most studies have used pictures or written scenarios as stimuli without distinguishing between cognitive and affective ToM, and no studies have investigated older pwMS. We recruited 13 young healthy controls (HC), 14 young pwMS, 14 elderly HC and 15 elderly pwMS. ToM was measured using an adaptation of the Conversations and Insinuations task (Ouellet et al., J. Int. Neuropsychol. Soc., 16, 2010, 287). In this ecological video-based task, participants watch four 2-minute videos of social interactions, which are interrupted by multiple choice questions about either the emotional state (affective ToM) or the intention (cognitive ToM) of the characters. They also underwent a short neuropsychological battery including cognitive, executive and social cognition tasks and questionnaires. We observed a significant interaction between the ToM conditions and the groups regarding ToM performance. Elderly pwMS scored significantly lower than elderly HC and young pwMS in cognitive ToM, but not in affective ToM. They also showed the largest discrepancy between their cognitive and affective ToM. Young pwMS showed relatively preserved ToM in both conditions. Both cognitive and affective ToM correlated with global cognition and executive abilities, but not with social cognitive measures (emotion recognition, real-life empathy). This study suggests that decline in cognitive ToM might be accentuated by advancing age in pwMS. These impairments are most likely underlied by cognitive and executive difficulties, but not by core social cognitive impairments. Future studies should investigate the real-life impacts of ToM impairments in pwMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Montembeault
- Douglas Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Romane Farley
- Psychology Department, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Julie Ouellet
- Institut de réadaptation Gingras-Lindsay-de-Montréal, CIUSS du Centre-Sud, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Estefania Brando
- Psychology Department, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alexandra Tremblay
- Psychology Department, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Kim Charest
- Psychology Department, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Élaine Roger
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Peter Scherzer
- Psychology Department, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Pierre Duquette
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Isabelle Rouleau
- Psychology Department, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Lin X, Zhang X, Liu Q, Zhao P, Zhong J, Pan P, Wang G, Yi Z. Empathy and Theory of Mind in Multiple Sclerosis: A Meta-Analysis. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:628110. [PMID: 33897490 PMCID: PMC8062809 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.628110] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Studies have shown that MS disrupts several social cognitive abilities [including empathy and theory of mind (ToM)]. Overall ToM deficits in MS are well documented, but how the specific ToM subcomponents and empathic capacity are affected remains unclear. For this meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase from inception to July 2020. Effect sizes were calculated using Hedges g with a random-effects model. Thirty-three studies were included. Relative to healthy controls (HCs), patients with MS were moderately impaired in overall empathy (g = -0.67), overall ToM (g = -74), cognitive ToM (g = -0.72), and the overlapping domains of cognitive empathy/affective ToM (g = -0.79); no group differences were identified for affective empathy (g = -0.19). Compared with HCs, patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and progressive MS were impaired in overall empathy, overall ToM, cognitive ToM, and cognitive empathy/affective ToM, without significant RRMS-progressive MS differences in impairment degree. We conducted the first meta-analytic review investigating the empathy and ToM functioning patterns in patients with MS and examined the overlapping and distinct subcomponents of these constructs. The findings suggest differential impairment of the core aspects of social cognitive processing in patients with MS, which may importantly inform the development of structured social cognitive MS interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- XiaoGuang Lin
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Suqian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Suqian, China
| | - XueLing Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Suqian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Suqian, China
| | - QinQin Liu
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Suqian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Suqian, China
| | - PanWen Zhao
- Department of Central Laboratory, Affiliated Yancheng School of Clinical Medicine of Nanjing Medical University, Yancheng, China
| | - JianGuo Zhong
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Yancheng School of Clinical Medicine of Nanjing Medical University, Yancheng, China
| | - PingLei Pan
- Department of Neurology and Department of Central Laboratory, Affiliated Yancheng School of Clinical Medicine of Nanjing Medical University, Yancheng, China
| | - GenDi Wang
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Yancheng School of Clinical Medicine of Nanjing Medical University, Yancheng, China
| | - ZhongQuan Yi
- Department of Central Laboratory, Affiliated Yancheng School of Clinical Medicine of Nanjing Medical University, Yancheng, China
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