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Funghi G, Meli C, Cavagna A, Bisoffi L, Zappini F, Papagno C, Dodich A. The Social and Cognitive Online Training (SCOT) project: A digital randomized controlled trial to promote socio-cognitive well-being in older adults. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2024; 122:105405. [PMID: 38531149 DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2024.105405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Effective prevention programs targeting risk factors for cognitive decline in the elderly are recommended given the progressive increase in the aging of the general population. The Social and Cognitive Online Training (SCOT) project is a randomized, controlled, parallel clinical trial designed to prevent the age-related decline in executive and social functions. METHODS The study included 60 cognitively healthy older adults (age = 71.8±5.3, education = 12.3±3.7, MoCA = 25.1±2.4). Participants underwent a baseline clinical and neuropsychological assessment and were then assigned to either an experimental group (SCOT) or a non-specific cognitive training group (CON). Both 8-week digital interventions included two individual cognitive training sessions and one group meeting per week. Post-intervention assessment evaluated the efficacy of the training on specific outcome measures: the Tower of London for executive functioning, the Ekman-60 Faces test, and the Mini-Social cognition & Emotional Assessment battery for social cognition. A measure of loneliness was included as an exploratory outcome. RESULTS Baseline demographic and neuropsychological characteristics were balanced between SCOT (n = 29) and CON (n = 28) groups. Pre-post-intervention analyses showed improvements in executive functioning and social cognition in both groups, without significant interaction effects. Exploratory post-hoc analyses stratifying the SCOT group by training performance showed significant post-training improvements in executive functioning, emotion recognition, and cognitive theory of mind for high-performing participants. DISCUSSION Results provide preliminary evidence for the beneficial effects of SCOT training, particularly for those who performed best during the training. The SCOT training could represent a new intervention to promote socio-cognitive well-being in the context of active ageing and dementia prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Funghi
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences-CIMeC, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Claudia Meli
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences-CIMeC, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Arianna Cavagna
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences-CIMeC, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Lisa Bisoffi
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences-CIMeC, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Francesca Zappini
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences-CIMeC, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Costanza Papagno
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences-CIMeC, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Alessandra Dodich
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences-CIMeC, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.
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Mulet-Perreault H, Landry M, Laforce RJ, Macoir J, Hudon C. Mini-SEA: Validity and Normative Data for the French-Quebec Population Aged 50 Years and Above. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2024:acae051. [PMID: 38916196 DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acae051] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The mini Social cognition & Emotional Assessment (mini-SEA) is a social cognition battery which assesses theory of mind and emotion recognition. Currently, no psychometrically validated measure of social cognition with adapted normative data exists for the middle-aged and elderly French-Quebec population. This project aims to determine the known-group discriminant validity of a cultural and linguistic adaptation of the mini-SEA between cognitively healthy people, those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or living with Alzheimer's Disease (AD). This study also aims to examine the stability of mini-SEA's performance over a 3-4-month time period, as well as to produce normative data for French-Quebec people aged 50 years. Normative data are derived for the full and an abbreviated version of the Faux Pas subtest. METHOD The sample included 211 French-speaking participants from Quebec (Canada) aged 50 to 89 years. Mini-SEA's performance between a sub-sample of cognitively healthy people (n = 20), those with MCI (n = 20) or with AD (n = 20) was compared. A sub-sample of cognitively healthy people (n = 30) performed the task twice to estimate test-retest reliability. Socio-demographic variables' effects on scores were examined to produce normative data in the form of regression equations or percentile ranks. RESULTS Significant differences emerged between cognitively healthy people and those with MCI or AD. Moreover, scores were relatively stable over a period of 3 to 4 months. Finally, for the normative data, age, gender, and education were associated with performance on the mini-SEA or its subtests. CONCLUSIONS This study improves and standardizes social cognition's assessment among French-Quebec individuals, which will help characterize their cognitive profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Mulet-Perreault
- École de psychologie, Faculté des sciences sociales, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche CERVO, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Mariane Landry
- École de psychologie, Faculté des sciences sociales, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche CERVO, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Robert Jr Laforce
- Clinique Interdisciplinaire de Mémoire, CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Département de médecine, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Joël Macoir
- Centre de recherche CERVO, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, Québec, QC, Canada
- École des sciences de la réadaptation, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Carol Hudon
- École de psychologie, Faculté des sciences sociales, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche CERVO, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, Québec, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche VITAM, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale, Québec, QC, Canada
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Morese R, Elliott E, Bilek E, Palermo S. Editorial: Women in brain health and clinical neuroscience. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1388801. [PMID: 38510511 PMCID: PMC10951373 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1388801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rosalba Morese
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, USI Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Elizabeth Elliott
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Edda Bilek
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sara Palermo
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Neuroradiology Unit, Diagnostic and Technology Department, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
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Kor PPK, Parial LL, Yu CTK, Liu JYW, Liu DPM, Hon JMK. Effects of a Family Caregiver-Delivered MultiSensory Cognitive Stimulation Intervention for Older People With Dementia During Coronavirus 2019: A Randomized Controlled Trial. THE GERONTOLOGIST 2024; 64:gnad054. [PMID: 37179458 DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnad054] [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: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Many community dementia services such as home-visiting services and center-based activities were suspended during the coronavirus 2019 pandemic. This study investigated the efficacy of a caregiver-delivered cognitive stimulation therapy (CDCST) on people with dementia during the pandemic. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This was a 2-arm randomized controlled trial involving 241 patient-caregiver dyads assigned to a 15-week CDCST or control group (usual care). We hypothesized that CDCST would facilitate significant improvements among people with dementia (cognition, behavioral/psychiatric symptoms, and quality of life) and their caregivers (caregiving appraisal, attitudes, and psychological well-being) at postintervention (T1) and at the 12-week follow-up (T2). Generalized estimating equations evaluated the study outcomes. RESULTS A total of 230 dyads completed the study, with good program adherence (93%). Participants in the CDCST showed significant improvements in cognition (p < .001), behavioral and psychiatric symptoms (p =. 027), and quality of life (p =.001) at the 3-month follow-up period. Family caregivers had improved positive aspects of caregiving (p = .008; p = .049) and decreased negative attitudes toward people with dementia (p =. 013; p < .001) at both T1 and T2. There were nonsignificant changes in the caregivers' perceived burden, distress, and psychological well-being. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS Family caregivers could be trained to provide cognitive stimulation at home for people with dementia, which could benefit both parties. CDCST could manage to improve the cognition, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and quality of life of people with dementia, while also improving caregiving appraisal and negative attitudes among family caregivers. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT03803592.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Pui Kin Kor
- Centre for Gerontological Nursing, School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | | | - Clare Tsz Kiu Yu
- Division of Psychiatry, University of College London, London, UK
| | - Justina Yat Wah Liu
- Centre for Gerontological Nursing, School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Denise Pik Mei Liu
- Ming Yue District Elderly Community Centre, Hong Kong Young Women's Christian Association, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Joan Mo King Hon
- Hong Kong Young Women's Christian Association, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Morese R, Elliott E, Palermo S. Editorial: The charitable brain: the neuroscience of philanthropy and giving. Front Psychol 2024; 14:1342963. [PMID: 38239466 PMCID: PMC10794476 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1342963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rosalba Morese
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, USI Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Elizabeth Elliott
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Sara Palermo
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Neuroradiology Unit, Diagnostic and Technology Department, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
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Lay-Yee R, Hariri AR, Knodt AR, Barrett-Young A, Matthews T, Milne BJ. Social isolation from childhood to mid-adulthood: is there an association with older brain age? Psychol Med 2023; 53:7874-7882. [PMID: 37485695 PMCID: PMC10755222 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291723001964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Older brain age - as estimated from structural MRI data - is known to be associated with detrimental mental and physical health outcomes in older adults. Social isolation, which has similar detrimental effects on health, may be associated with accelerated brain aging though little is known about how different trajectories of social isolation across the life course moderate this association. We examined the associations between social isolation trajectories from age 5 to age 38 and brain age assessed at age 45. METHODS We previously created a typology of social isolation based on onset during the life course and persistence into adulthood, using group-based trajectory analysis of longitudinal data from a New Zealand birth cohort. The typology comprises four groups: 'never-isolated', 'adult-only', 'child-only', and persistent 'child-adult' isolation. A brain age gap estimate (brainAGE) - the difference between predicted age from structural MRI date and chronological age - was derived at age 45. We undertook analyses of brainAGE with trajectory group as the predictor, adjusting for sex, family socio-economic status, and a range of familial and child-behavioral factors. RESULTS Older brain age in mid-adulthood was associated with trajectories of social isolation after adjustment for family and child confounders, particularly for the 'adult-only' group compared to the 'never-isolated' group. CONCLUSIONS Although our findings are associational, they indicate that preventing social isolation, particularly in mid-adulthood, may help to avert accelerated brain aging associated with negative health outcomes later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy Lay-Yee
- Centre of Methods and Policy Application in the Social Sciences, and School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ahmad R. Hariri
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Annchen R. Knodt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Timothy Matthews
- Department of Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Barry J. Milne
- Centre of Methods and Policy Application in the Social Sciences, and School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Zhou Y, Xia X, Yuan K, Qin D. Editorial: Reviews in neuropsychology. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1327860. [PMID: 38022918 PMCID: PMC10668019 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1327860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Open and Shared Public Science and Technology Service Platform of Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiansong Xia
- Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- The Department of Educational Administration, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Kai Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Dongdong Qin
- Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Open and Shared Public Science and Technology Service Platform of Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, Yunnan, China
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Samtani S, Meka A, Siette J. Beyond memory: exploring the value of social cognition for older adults with neurocognitive disorders. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1209745. [PMID: 37840782 PMCID: PMC10575711 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1209745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurocognitive disorders involves progressive decline in cognition, function, behavior and needs. Recent developments have identified the need to characterize social cognition in individuals with neurocognitive impairments to support uncertainty in clinical decision making, treatment plans and monitoring individual change. Routine social cognition assessments have thus been more recently used and adopted in persons with dementia or mild cognitive impairment. This work serves to summarize current assessments and provide a discourse on the practicality of available social cognition tools, its implication in clinical practice and key future directions. We highlight advantages in establishing validated, multicomponent measures of social cognition for people with neurocognitive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suraj Samtani
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Anjani Meka
- The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Western Sydney University, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Joyce Siette
- The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Western Sydney University, Westmead, NSW, Australia
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Palermo S, Bottiroli S, Parsons LM, Wright MJ, Amanzio M. Editorial: Insights in neuropsychology 2021. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1225520. [PMID: 37448719 PMCID: PMC10338108 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1225520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Palermo
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Technology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Bottiroli
- Faculty of Law, Giustino Fortunato University, Benevento, Italy
- Headache Science and Neurorehabilitation Center, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Lawrence M. Parsons
- Department of Psychology, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Justin Wright
- Harbor–UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, United States
- Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Torrance, CA, United States
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Palermo S. Giving behavior and social decision-making in the age of conscious capitalism: A case for neuroscience. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1073632. [PMID: 37057169 PMCID: PMC10086194 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1073632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Palermo
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Technology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Filantropia – Filantropolis, Numana, AN, Italy
- *Correspondence: Sara Palermo ;
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Morellini L, Izzo A, Rossi S, Zerboni G, Rege-Colet L, Ceroni M, Biglia E, Sacco L. Emotion recognition and processing in patients with mild cognitive impairment: A systematic review. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1044385. [PMID: 36389543 PMCID: PMC9650996 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1044385] [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: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate emotion recognition and processing in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in order to update the state of current literature on this important but undervalued topic. We identified 15 papers published between 2012 and 2022 that meet the inclusion criteria. Paper search, selection, and extraction followed the PRISMA guidelines. We used a narrative synthesis approach in order to report a summary of the main findings taken from all papers. The results collected are still ambiguous: some studies did not find any differences between MCI and healthy controls (HC) groups in emotion recognition and processing, and other results reported emotion-specific deficits in emotion recognition regarding MCI patients (both regarding negative and neutral emotions). It is essential to underline that these findings could not be generalized to the whole MCI population due to the heterogeneous use of measures and composition of the sample. This does not allow us to make a comprehensive comparison between the results. Our suggestion for future research is to align the results using the same type of tests and emotion recognition assessment.
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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
| | - Alessia Izzo
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera Italiana, 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
| | - Martino Ceroni
- 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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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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