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Social Cognition Impairments in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 October 2011

Audrey Henry ,
Ayman Tourbah ,
Marie-Pierre Chaunu ,
Lucien Rumbach ,
Michèle Montreuil  and
Serge Bakchine
Audrey Henry
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Hôpital Maison Blanche, CHRU de Reims, Reims, France Laboratory of Psychopathology and Neuropsychology, University Paris 8, Paris, France
Ayman Tourbah
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Hôpital Maison Blanche, CHRU de Reims, Reims, France
Marie-Pierre Chaunu
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Hôpital Maison Blanche, CHRU de Reims, Reims, France
Lucien Rumbach
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Hôpital Jean Minjoz, CHU de Besançon, Besançon, France
Michèle Montreuil
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Psychopathology and Neuropsychology, University Paris 8, Paris, France
Serge Bakchine*
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Hôpital Maison Blanche, CHRU de Reims, Reims, France
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Serge Bakchine, Service de Neurologie, Hôpital Maison Blanche, 45 rue Cognacq Jay, F-51092, Reims, France. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Theory of Mind (ToM) is the ability to attribute independent mental states to self and others to explain and predict behavior. Impairment of ToM is well established in developmental pathologies. In neurological populations, investigation of ToM is still rare but data suggest that ToM impairment could contribute to behavioral and social disturbances. In addition to neurological signs, multiple sclerosis (MS) presents with disorders of cognition and behavior directly related to brain damage. The aim of this study was to assess ToM abilities and recognition of facial emotional expression in adults with MS. We compared 64 patients with relapsing MS and 30 matched healthy controls on three levels of ToM tasks, a facial emotion recognition task, and a neuropsychological assessment. MS patients performed significantly worse than controls in emotion recognition and all ToM tasks (p < .02). These deficits were not correlated with demographic variables or neuropsychological test performance. These findings underscore the importance of assessing ToM and facial recognition in MS, as dysfunction in these areas may impact upon social interaction and, thus, impair quality of life for both patients with MS and their families. (JINS, 2011, 17, 1122–1131)

Keywords

Theory of mindEmotionsWhite matterFaux pasSocial skillsFalse belief
Type
Regular Articles
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 17 , Issue 6 , November 2011 , pp. 1122 - 1131
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2011

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