Social Cognition Abilities in Patients With Different Multiple Sclerosis Subtypes

Cognitive and affective theory of mind in young and elderly patients with multiple sclerosis

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.

Social cognition in adults with neurofibromatosis type 1

OBJECTIVE

Adult patients with the genetic disease neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) frequently report social difficulties. To date, however, only two studies have explored whether these difficulties are caused by social cognition deficits, and these yielded contradictory data. The aim of the present study was to exhaustively assess social cognition abilities (emotion, theory of mind, moral reasoning, and social information processing) in adults with NF1, compared with a control group, and to explore links between social cognition and disease characteristics (mode of inheritance, severity, and visibility).

METHOD

We administered a social cognition battery to 20 adults with NF1 (mean age = 26.5 years, SD = 7.4) and 20 healthy adults matched for sociodemographic variables.

RESULTS

Patients scored significantly lower than controls on emotion, theory of mind, moral reasoning, and social information processing tasks. No effects of disease characteristics were found.

CONCLUSIONS

These results appear to confirm that adults with NF1 have a social cognition weaknesses that could explain, at least in part, their social difficulties, although social abilities are not all impaired to the same extent. Regarding the impact of the disease characteristics, the patient sample seemed slightly insufficient for the power analyses performed. Thus, this exploratory study should form the basis of further research, with the objective of replicating these results with larger and more appropriately matched samples.

The neural substrates of social cognition deficits in newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis patients

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.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of socio-cognitive impairments in multiple sclerosis

Socio-cognitive impairment is frequent in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, little is known about the relationship between other potentially relevant clinical symptoms (i.e., cognition, depression, fatigue) and the degree of socio-cognitive impairment, and neural mechanisms underlying socio-cognitive deficits in MS. Therefore, we meta-analytically quantified socio-cognitive impairment in MS. A systematic literature search in MEDLINE Ovid, Web of Science Core Collection, CENTRAL, and PsycInfo was conducted until December 2022. Studies investigating affective or cognitive theory of mind (a/cToM), visual perspective taking (VPT) and social decision making (SDM) in MS patients relative to healthy controls were included. Risk-of-bias (RoB) was assessed using the CLARITY group "Tool for Assessing RoB in Cohort Studies". Mediation analysis investigated the contribution of clinical symptoms to socio-cognitive impairment. In total, n = 8534 studies were screened, 58 were included in the systematic review, 27 in the meta-analyses. Most studies were rated with a moderate RoB. Meta-analyses confirmed impairment of both aToM and cToM in MS patients, with larger effect sizes for aToM. Mediation analysis demonstrated that higher levels of fatigue selectively predicted the degree of cToM impairment. There was insufficient data available to quantify impairment in other socio-cognitive domains. Fourteen structural and functional imaging studies were identified and characterized by substantial heterogeneity. Summarized, this study confirmed substantial socio-cognitive impairment in MS and highlights the potential exacerbating role of comorbid clinical symptoms. We identify several evidence gaps that need to be addressed in future large-scale studies using comprehensive and coordinated assessments of socio-cognitive parameters, potential mediators, and neural correlates.Trial registration: The pre-registered review protocol can be assessed at www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ (ID: CRD42020206225).

Relationship between emotion recognition and cognition in multiple sclerosis: a meta-analysis protocol

Introduction

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system characterised by a broad and unpredictable range of symptoms, including cognitive and socio-cognitive dysfunction. Alongside the well-known deficits in information processing speed (IPS), executive functioning and episodic memory, recent evidence also highlighted socio-cognitive impairments in MS, such as emotion-recognition deficits. Recently, several studies investigated the association between emotion-recognition and cognitive impairment to assess whether social cognition is parallel to (or even dependent on) general cognitive dysfunction. Yet, there have been inconsistent findings, raising the need for a meta-analysis of the literature.

Objectives

The aim of the present paper is to outline the protocol for an upcoming meta-analysis we designed to clarify these conclusions.

Methods and analysis

We plan to estimate combined effect sizes for the association between emotion-recognition and cognitive impairment in MS across three cognitive domains (IPS, executive functions and episodic memory) and 7 emotion scores of interests (total and by 6-basic emotions subscores). Further, we plan to investigate whether identified variables are the cause for heterogeneity in any combined association. To that end, we will conduct additional meta-regression analyses to explore whether overall correlations differ according to clinical characteristics of MS patients (ie, disease duration, MS-phenotype, severity of depression and disability). Ultimately, this study will provide support either for an association of these disorders (in which emotion-recognition deficits might result from more fundamental cognitive dysfunction), or for two distinct sets of symptoms which may occur independently, for targeted patient profiles.

Emotional competencies in multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Emotional competencies (i.e., understanding emotions in self and others) are crucial for psychological well-being and successful social interaction. However, despite the deficits in psychological well-being and social interaction among individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), emotional competencies have not been broadly investigated in MS. The present study: (1) compared emotional competencies between persons with MS and (a) previously published norms for the general population and (b) persons with major depressive disorder; and (2) investigated the association between emotional competencies and symptoms of insomnia, depression, fatigue, and paresthesia in persons with MS.

METHODS

The sample of 1135 persons with MS (mean age: 34.6 years; 81.1% female; median EDSS: 2; range: 0 - 5) self-rated emotional competencies and symptoms of insomnia, symptoms of depression, fatigue, and paresthesia. Data on emotional competencies of historical samples (general population: N = 622; mean age: 22.0 years; 61% females; outpatients with major depressive disorders (MDD); N = 50; mean age: 42.46 years; 68% females) were used for comparison.

RESULTS

Persons with MS reported lower levels of emotional competencies than both the general population (t (1, 1756) = 55.18, p < 0.001, d = 1.66; large effect size) and outpatients with MDD (t (1, 1183) = 3.48, p <0.001, d = 0.50; medium effect size). Among persons with MS, lower levels of emotional competencies were associated with higher MS-related symptoms of insomnia(r = - 0.24; p < 0.001), depression (r = - 0.42; p < 0.001), fatigue (r = - 0.31; p < 0.001), and paresthesia (r = - 0.18; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Persons with MS reported significantly lower scores for emotional competencies when compared with the general population and outpatients with MDD. Further, lower scores for emotional competencies were associated with typical MS-related symptoms of insomnia, depression, fatigue and paresthesia. These findings suggest that emotional competencies may be an important target for intervention in persons with MS.

Social Cognition Impairments in Association to Clinical, Cognitive, Mood, and Fatigue Features in Multiple Sclerosis: A Study Protocol

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system (CNS), characterized by the diffuse grey and white matter damage. Cognitive impairment (CI) is a frequent clinical feature in patients with MS (PwMS) that can be prevalent even in early disease stages, affecting the physical activity and active social participation of PwMS. Limited information is available regarding the influence of MS in social cognition (SC), which may occur independently from the overall neurocognitive dysfunction. In addition, the available information regarding the factors that influence SC in PwMS is limited, e.g., factors such as a patient's physical disability, different cognitive phenotypes, mood status, fatigue. Considering that SC is an important domain of CI in MS and may contribute to subjects' social participation and quality of life, we herein conceptualize and present the methodological design of a cross-sectional study in 100 PwMS of different disease subtypes. The study aims (a) to characterize SC impairment in PwMS in the Greek population and (b) to unveil the relationship between clinical symptoms, phenotypes of CI, mood status and fatigue in PwMS and the potential underlying impairment on tasks of SC.

Word finding, prosody and social cognition in multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Impairments in speech and social cognition have been reported in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), although their relationships with neuropsychological outcomes and their clinical utility in MS are unclear.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate word finding, prosody and social cognition in pwMS relative to healthy controls (HC).

METHODS

We recruited people with relapsing MS (RMS, n = 21), progressive MS (PMS, n = 24) and HC (n = 25) from an outpatient MS clinic. Participants completed a battery of word-finding, social cognitive, neuropsychological and clinical assessments and performed a speech task for prosodic analysis.

RESULTS

Of 45 pwMS, mean (SD) age was 49.4 (9.4) years, and median (range) Expanded Disability Severity Scale score was 3.5 (1.0-6.5). Compared with HC, pwMS were older and had slower information processing speed (measured with the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, SDMT) and higher depression scores. Most speech and social cognitive measures were associated with information processing speed but not with depression. Unlike speech, social cognition consistently correlated with intelligence and memory. Visual naming test mean response time (VNT-MRT) demonstrated worse outcomes in MS versus HC (p = .034, Nagelkerke's R²  = 65.0%), and in PMS versus RMS (p = .009, Nagelkerke's R²  = 50.2%). Rapid automatised object naming demonstrated worse outcomes in MS versus HC (p = .014, Nagelkerke's R²  = 49.1%). These word-finding measures showed larger effect sizes than that of the SDMT (MS vs. HC, p = .010, Nagelkerke's R²  = 40.6%; PMS vs. RMS, p = .023, Nagelkerke's R²  = 43.5%). Prosody and social cognition did not differ between MS and HC.

CONCLUSIONS

Word finding, prosody and social cognition in MS are associated with information processing speed and largely independent of mood. Impairment in visual object meaning perception is potentially a unique MS disease-related deficit that could be further explored and cautiously considered as an adjunct disability metric for MS.

Faux-Pas Recognition Test: A Turkish adaptation study and a proposal of a standardized short version

Faux Pas Recognition Test (FPRT) is one of the most commonly used tools to assess the theory of mind (ToM) and a valid and reliable screening of this social cognitive function in both clinical and research settings is essential. We aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the FPRT on a healthy Turkish sample and to develop a shorter form with adequate psychometric properties to provide an easier application for the tester by shortening the test's duration of administration. Four hundred sixteen healthy individuals completed the Turkish version of the FPRT. Addenbrooke's Cognitive Evaluation-Revised form (ACE-R) was given to the participants who were over 60 years of age in order to eliminate the adverse effects of a potential cognitive decline on FPRT performance. Effects of psychological symptoms on FPRT performance were controlled with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Both the original and short versions of the test showed good psychometric properties: for the original version internal consistency reliability was 0.94 for faux-pas (FP) stories and 0.92 for control stories; for the short version it was 0.92 for FP stories and was 0.93 for control stories. For the original version of the FPRT; inter-rater reliability was 0.88 for FP stories and was 0.96 for control stories. Split-half reliability was 0.78 for FP stories and was 0.85 for control stories. Gender and age comparisons were carried out. Results revealed that women had significantly higher total scores than men in three measures of FPRT.

Emotional Recognition and Its Relation to Cognition, Mood and Fatigue in Relapsing-Remitting and Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

(1) Background: Emotional recognition (ER), the ability to read into others' minds and recognize others' emotional states, is important in social environment adaptation. Recently it has been found that ER difficulties affect patients with multiple sclerosis (pMS) and relate to different gray matter atrophy patterns from secondary progressive (SP-pMS) and relapsing-remitting (RR-pMS). The aim of this study was to compare the performances of the two MS phenotypes on the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test (RMEt) and other cognitive, mood and fatigue measures. We also examined associations between performance on the RMEt and cognitive, mood and fatigue variables. (2) Methods: A total of 43 pMS (27RR-pMS/16SP-pMS) underwent a clinical assessment, the RMEt, the cognitive battery, and completed mood and fatigue questionnaires. Both groups' performances on the RMEt were then correlated with all these measures. (3) Results: the RMEt scores of RR-pMS were significantly correlated with the impairment degree in some cognitive scores. SP-pMS scores correlated mainly with fatigue, anxiety, anger and depression. (4) Conclusions: ER performances relate to cognitive aspects in RR-pMS, whereas mainly to mood outcomes in the SP-pMS group. We can hypothesize that deficits in ER are a further sign of disease progression. Our data support the different roles of cognitive and emotional deficits related to different disease courses and lesional correlates.

Regional brain atrophy is related to social cognition impairment in multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Multiple sclerosis exhibits specific neuropathological phenomena driving to both global and regional brain atrophy. At the clinical level, the disease is related to functional decline in cognitive domains as the working memory, processing speed, and verbal fluency. However, the compromise of social-cognitive abilities has concentrated some interest in recent years despite the available evidence suggesting the risk of disorganization in social life. Recent studies have used the MiniSEA test to assess the compromise of social cognition and have found relevant relationships with memory and executive functions, as well as with the level of global and regional brain atrophy.

OBJECTIVE

The present article aimed to identify structural changes related to socio-cognitive performance in a sample of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

METHODS

68 relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis Chilean patients and 50 healthy control subjects underwent MRI scans and neuropsychological evaluation including social-cognition tasks. Total brain, white matter, and gray matter volumes were estimated. Also, voxel-based morphometry was applied to evaluate regional structural changes.

RESULTS

Patients exhibited lower scores in all neuropsychological tests. Social cognition exhibited a significant decrease in this group mostly related to the declining social perception. Normalized brain volume and white matter volume were significantly decreased when compared to healthy subjects. The regional brain atrophy analysis showed that changes in the insular cortex and medial frontal cortices are significantly related to the variability of social-cognitive performance among patients.

CONCLUSIONS

In the present study, social cognition was only correlated with the deterioration of verbal fluency, despite the fact that previous studies have reported its link with memory and executive functions. The identification of specific structural correlates supports the comprehension of this phenomenon as an independent source of cognitive disability in these patients.

Memory, processing of emotional stimuli, and volume of limbic structures in pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis

OBJECTIVE

The limbic system is involved in memory and in processing of emotional stimuli. We measured volume of the hippocampus, amygdala, and thalamus, and assessed their relative contribution to episodic memory and emotion identification in POMS.

METHOD

Sixty-five POMS participants (Mage = 18.3 ± 3.9 years; 48 female (73.8%)), average disease duration = 3.8 ± 3.8 years) and 76 age- and sex-matched controls (Mage = 18.1 ± 4.6 years; 49 female (64.5%)) completed the Penn Computerized Neurocognitive Battery (PCNB); 59 of 65 POMS participants and 69 out of 76 controls underwent 3 T MRI scanning. We derived age-adjusted Z-scores on accuracy and response time (RT) measures of episodic memory and emotion identification of the PCNB. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) volumetrics were normalized using the scaling factor computed by SIENAx. On PCNB tests that differed between groups, we used multiple linear regression to assess relationships between regional brain volumes and either episodic memory or emotion identification outcomes controlling for age, sex, accuracy/RT, and parental education.

RESULTS

POMS participants were slower and less accurate than controls on the episodic memory domain but did not differ from controls on emotion outcomes. At the subtest level, POMS participants showed reduced accuracy on Word Memory (p = .002) and slower performance on Face Memory (p = .04) subtests. POMS participants had smaller total and regional brain volumes of the hippocampus, amygdala, and thalamus (p values ≤ 0.01). Collapsing across groups, both hippocampal and thalamic volume were significant predictors of Word Memory accuracy; hippocampal volume (B = 0.24, SE = 0.10, p = .02) was more strongly associated with Word Memory performance than thalamic volume (B = 0.16, SE = 0.05, p = .003), though the estimate with was less precise.

CONCLUSIONS

POMS participants showed reduced episodic memory performance compared to controls. Aspects of episodic memory performance were associated with hippocampal and thalamic volume. Emotion identification was intact, despite volume loss in the amygdala.

Social cognition and executive functioning in multiple sclerosis: A cluster-analytic approach

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with deficits in social cognition, the process underlying social interaction and cognitive function. However, the relationships between executive impairment and social cognition remain unclear in MS. Previous studies exclusively focused on group comparisons between healthy controls and patients with MS, treating the latter as a homogeneous population. The variability of socio- and neurocognitive profiles in this pathology therefore remains underexplored. In the present study, we used a cluster analytic approach to explore the heterogeneity of executive and social cognition skills in MS. A total of 106 patients with MS were compared with 53 healthy matched controls on executive (e.g., working memory) and social cognition (facial emotion recognition and theory of mind) performances. A cluster analysis was then performed, focusing on the MS sample, to explore the presence of differential patterns of interaction between executive and social cognition difficulties and their links to sociodemographic, clinical and cognitive variables. We identified three distinct functional profiles: patients with no executive or social cognition deficits (Cluster 1); patients with difficulties in facial emotion recognition and theory of mind and, to a lesser extent, executive functioning (Cluster 2); and patients with executive functioning difficulties only (Cluster 3). Clinical characteristics (disease duration, disability, fatigue) did not differ between clusters. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that there are qualitative differences in the social cognition and executive difficulties that are commonly found among patients with MS. If replicated, the identification of these profiles in clinical practice could allow for more individualized rehabilitation.

Social cognition in multiple sclerosis and its subtypes: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated demyelinating disease that disrupts several social cognitive abilities, including the theory of mind (ToM) and facial emotion recognition (FER). It is unclear how specific ToM subcomponents, including cognitive and affective ToM, are affected in patients with MS and the social cognitive abilities in MS subtypes.

METHODS

A search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases was conducted until June 2020. Effect sizes were calculated using Hedges g with a random-effects model.

RESULTS

A total of 45 studies were included. Relative to health controls (HCs), patients with MS and its subtypes (including relapsing-remitting MS [RRMS] and progressive MS) exhibited impairments in ToM (g = -0.77, g = -0.70, g = -0.75, respectively), cognitive ToM (g = -0.72, g = -0.83, g = -0.73, respectively), affective ToM (g = -0.84, g = -0.63, g = -0. 50, respectively), and FER (g = -0.62, g = -0.53, g = -1.07, respectively). In addition, there was no difference between progressive primary MS and secondary progressive MS in overall ToM, cognitive ToM, affective ToM, and FER. Compared to patients with RRMS, patients with progressive MS showed no difference in overall ToM, cognitive ToM, and affective ToM but had more serious defects in FER (g = -0.57).

CONCLUSIONS

These quantitative results indicate that patients with MS and its subtypes have a differential impairment of the core aspects of social cognitive processing (including ToM and FER), which may help develop the structured social cognitive interventions in MS.

Neurocognitive impairment and social cognition in multiple sclerosis

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.

The role of language ability in verbal fluency of individuals with multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND

While cognitive deficits in memory and processing speed have been well-documented in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), language is largely considered to be intact. Verbal fluency deficits observed in MS are often attributed to impaired processing speed and executive functions rather than language ability. The current study evaluates the contribution of various cognitive factors to verbal fluency including language ability, oral-motor speed, processing speed, and executive functions.

METHODS

We analyzed pre-existing data from seventy-four (74) individuals with MS who completed a battery of neuropsychological tests designed to assess individual ability for various cognitive factors. We conducted linear multiple regression analyses with letter and category verbal fluency as outcome variables and performance on other cognitive domains (e.g., processing speed, executive functioning) as predictors.

RESULTS

Both vocabulary and processing speed predicted letter fluency while only vocabulary predicted category fluency. These findings suggest that the observed verbal fluency deficits in MS may reflect both impaired language ability and processing speed.

CONCLUSION

We propose that further research on language ability in MS is needed to determine if comprehensive neuropsychological test batteries for persons with MS should include tests of language ability to fully understand the cognitive profile of any given patient. Given the importance of language ability, it may be necessary to conduct a more thorough assessment of language in individuals with MS who experience a deficit in this domain.

Empathy and Theory of Mind in Multiple Sclerosis: A Meta-Analysis

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.

A cross-sectional study of alexithymia in patients with relapse remitting form of multiple sclerosis

Background:

Alexithymia is one's incapacity to identify, comprehend, and describe emotions. There is almost no literature data about the levels of alexithymia among patients with relapse remitting type of multiple sclerosis.

Aim:

The objective of the present study was to assess the levels of alexithymia in patients with relapse remitting type of multiple sclerosis in relation to their sociodemographic variables and clinical characteristics of the disease.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study included 106 consecutively assessed patients with relapse remitting type of multiple sclerosis. In addition to the data regarding disease duration, number of demyelinating relapses, and degree of neurological disability, assessed by the expanded disability scale score (EDSS), we used Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS), fatigue severity scale (FSS) and, Hamilton scale for the assessment of anxiety and depression and sociodemographic questionnaire.

Results:

Study included 74 female and 32 male patients, with a median age of 44 years, median disease duration 90 months, and median EDSS 4. About 29.55% of patients had alexithymia and borderline alexithymia was observed in 31.15% patients. Alexithymia correlated with anxiety and depression (P < 0.01) on all TAS subscales. Higher levels of neurological disability based on EDSS, severe fatigue based on FSS scores, and severe relapse remitting type of multiple sclerosis with more relapses and longer disease duration correlated with alexithymia (P < 0.01), depression (P < 0.01), and anxiety (P < 0.01). Higher rates of alexithymia were noticed in older, unemployed, single patients, and those having fewer children.

Conclusions:

Alexithymia was found in a relatively high percentage in patients with relapse remitting type of multiple sclerosis.

Social cognition in multiple sclerosis and its subtypes: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory and degenerative neurological disorder of the central nervous system. Cognitive impairment is frequent in MS patients, which not only includes deficits in abilities assessed by traditional neuropsychological batteries, but also often features impairments in social cognition (including theory of mind and facial emotion recognition). Recently, numerous studies have assessed social cognition performance in MS. However, there have been inconsistent findings. Besides, it is not clear how social cognitive abilities are affected in MS subtypes. The aim of this study is to conduct a meta-analysis to characterize social cognition performance in MS and its subtypes (clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting MS, progressive primary MS, and secondary progressive MS).

METHODS

Literature sources will be divided into 2 sections: electronic sources and manual sources. A systematic literature search will be performed for eligible studies published up to June 10, 2020 in 3 international databases (Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science). In addition, manual sources will be searched, such as the references of all included studies. Two researchers will independently conduct the work such as article retrieval, screening, quality evaluation, data collection. Meta-analysis will be conducted using Stata 15.0 software.

RESULTS

The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis will provide a high-quality synthesis from existing evidence for social cognition performance in MS and its subtypes.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

INPLASY202070028.

Understanding the role of social cognition in neurodegenerative Disease: A scoping review on an overlooked problem

Social cognition (SC) is the set of socio-cognitive processes that guide automatic and voluntary behaviors by modulating behavioral responses, it includes both cognitive (Theory of the mind - ToM) and affective aspects (Empathy). SC also includes representations of internal somatic states, self-knowledge, perception of others, communication with others and interpersonal motivations. SC is relevant in daily life and reflects the neural complexity of social processing. The purpose of this scoping review is to evaluate the role of SC in neurological disorders, also considering the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying SC and potential assessment tools. The included studies were carried out between 2010 and 2019 and were found on PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Sciences databases, using the combined terms "social cognition"; "dementia"; "multiple sclerosis"; "parkinson", "amyotrophic lateral sclerosis", "neurodegenerative disease". Our review has shown that different SC domains are affected by several neurological conditions, with regards to dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Further studies are needed to investigate the association between cognitive and social deficits, for a better management of patients with neurological disorders.

Distinct Functional Connectivity Signatures of Impaired Social Cognition in Multiple Sclerosis

Objective: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by impairments in basic cognitive functions such as information processing speed as well as in more complex, higher-order domains such as social cognition. However, as these deficits often co-occur, it has remained challenging to determine whether they have a specific pathological basis or are driven by shared biology.

Methods: To identify neural signatures of social cognition deficits in MS, data were analyzed from n = 29 patients with relapsing–remitting MS and n = 29 healthy controls matched for age, sex, and education. We used neuropsychological assessments of information processing speed, attention, learning, working memory, and relevant aspects of social cognition (theory of mind, emotion recognition (ER), empathy) and employed neuroimaging of CNS networks using resting-state functional connectivity.

Results: MS patients showed significant deficits in verbal learning and memory, as well as implicit ER. Performance in these domains was uncorrelated. Functional connectivity analysis identified a distinct network characterized by significant associations between poorer ER and lower connectivity of the fusiform gyrus (FFG) with the right lateral occipital cortex, which also showed lower connectivity in patients compared to controls. Moreover, while ER was correlated with MS symptoms such as fatigue and motor/sensory functioning on a behavioral level, FFG connectivity signatures of social cognition deficits showed no overlap with these symptoms.

Conclusions: Our analyses identify distinct functional connectivity signatures of social cognition deficits in MS, indicating that these alterations may occur independently from those in other neuropsychological functions.

Emotional experience in patients with clinically isolated syndrome and early multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Evidence suggests that there are changes in the processing of emotional information (EP) in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). It is unclear which functional domains of EP are affected, whether these changes are secondary to other MS-related neuropsychological or psychiatric symptoms and if EP changes are present in early MS. The aim of the study was to investigate EP in patients with early MS (clinically isolated syndrome and early relapsing/remitting MS) and healthy controls (HCs).

METHODS

A total of 29 patients without neuropsychological or psychiatric deficits and 29 matched HCs were presented with pictures from the International Affective Picture System with negative, positive or neutral content. Participants rated the induced emotion regarding valence and arousal using nine-level Likert scales. A speeded recognition test assessed memory for the emotional stimuli and for the emotional modulation of response time. A subgroup of participants was tested during a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) session.

RESULTS

Patients in the MRI subgroup rated the experience induced by pictures with positive or negative emotional content significantly more weakly than HCs. Further, these patients were significantly less aroused when watching the pictures from the International Affective Picture System. There were no effects in the non-MRI subgroup or effects on emotional memory or response times.

CONCLUSIONS

Emotional processing changes may be present in early MS in the form of flattened emotional experience on both the valence and arousal dimensions. These changes do not appear to be secondary to neuropsychological or psychiatric deficits. The fact that emotional flattening was only found in the MRI setting suggests that EP changes may be unmasked within stressful environments and points to the potential yet underestimated impact of the MRI setting on behavioral outcomes.

Impairments of humour comprehension in multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Sociocognition is an important field of neuropsychology involving human interactions. In relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, it was recently demonstrated that sociocognition is severely and precociously impaired. Among sociocognitive abilities, humour has not yet been considered in this disease despite its important social functions, including during doctor-patient communication. Its main functions are to reduce stress when interactions become strained and to convey difficult messages in a gentle form. Thus, the inability to perceive this second degree of language is likely to generate a major social handicap. As humour is a higher cognitive process, its assessment requires the control of lower levels according to a serial model.

METHODS

The present humour comprehension protocol, based on a serial cognitive model, consisted of a first incongruity detection step (normality identification task) and a second incongruity resolution step (funniness identification task). This protocol was administered using both verbal and visual material (stories and cartoons). For each type of material, the participant had to decide which of three proposed endings was normal (normality identification) and which was funny (funniness identification). A group of 21 relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients was compared to a control group of 38 healthy participants. In view of the severe impairment demonstrated for MS patients in other sociocognitive abilities, we predicted a deficit of humour comprehension in these patients in comparison with healthy participants. In reference to the serial model of humour, and considering the variability of MS lesions, our main goal was to test the hypothesis of a primary deficit in incongruity resolution (selective to funniness identification) in some MS patients whereas others may suffer a non-specific comprehension impairment (affecting both normality and funniness identification).

RESULTS

Group analyses (non-parametric tests, Mann-Whitney) revealed lower scores for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients compared to controls for the visual tasks (normality and funniness). No significant difference was found in the verbal tasks. At the individual level, 62% of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients showed impairment compared to controls for the funniness tasks. Moreover, 38% presented a selective deficit in the funniness tasks.

CONCLUSION

These preliminary results suggest that a high proportion of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients may be impaired in humour comprehension, some as a primary deficit and others as a secondary deficit to more general comprehension difficulties. On a theoretical level, the dissociations obtained between verbal and visual material do not support an amodal humour comprehension model.

What Do You Have in Mind? Measures to Assess Mental State Reasoning in Neuropsychiatric Populations

Social interaction is closely associated with both functional capacity and well-being. Previous research has not only revealed evidence of social dysfunction in individuals with a wide range of psychiatric and neurological disorders but also generated an abundance of potential measures for assessing social cognition. This review explores the most popular measures used within neuropsychiatric populations to investigate the ability to recognize or reason about the mental states of others. Measures are also critically analyzed in terms of strengths and limitations to aid task selection in future clinical studies. The most frequently applied assessment tools use verbal, visual or audiovisual forms of presentation and assess recognition of mental states from facial features, self-rated empathy, the understanding of other's cognitive mental states such as beliefs and intentions, or the ability to combine knowledge of other's thoughts and emotions in order to understand subtle communications or socially inappropriate behavior. Key weaknesses of previous research include limited investigation of relationships with clinical symptoms, and underutilization of measures of everyday social functioning that offer a useful counterpart to traditional "lab" tasks. Future studies should aim to carefully select measures not only based on the range of skills to be assessed but also taking into account potential difficulties with interpretation and the need to gain insight into the application of social cognitive skills as well as ability per se. Some of the best measures include those with well-matched control trials (e.g., Yoni Task) or those that restrict the influence of verbal deficits (e.g., intentions comic strip task), elicit spontaneous mentalizing (e.g., Animations Task), and possess greater ecological validity (e.g., Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition). Social cognitive research within psychiatric populations will be further enhanced through the development of more closely matched control tasks, and the exploration of relationships between task performance, medication, strategy use, and broader emotional and motor functions.

Assessment and Impact of Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis: An Overview

Cognitive impairment affects 40⁻60% of patients with multiple sclerosis. It may be present early in the course of the disease and has an impact on a patient's employability, social interactions, and quality of life. In the last three decades, an increasing interest in diagnosis and management of cognitive impairment has arisen. Neuropsychological assessment and neuroimaging studies focusing on cognitive impairment are now being incorporated as primary outcomes in clinical trials. However, there are still key uncertainties concerning the underlying mechanisms of damage, neural basis, sensitivity and validity of neuropsychological tests, and efficacy of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. The present article aimed to present an overview of the assessment, neural correlates, and impact of cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis.

Moral Judgment: An Overlooked Deficient Domain in Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system through which patients can suffer from sensory, motor, cerebellar, emotional, and cognitive symptoms. Although cognitive and behavioral dysfunctions are frequently encountered in MS patients, they have previously received little attention. Among the most frequently impaired cognitive domains are attention, information processing speed, and working memory, which have been extensively addressed in this population. However, less emphasis has been placed on other domains like moral judgment. The latter is a complex cognitive sphere that implies the individuals’ ability to judge others’ actions and relies on numerous affective and cognitive processes. Moral cognition is crucial for healthy and adequate interpersonal relationships, and its alteration might have drastic impacts on patients’ quality of life. This work aims to analyze the studies that have addressed moral cognition in MS. Only three works have previously addressed moral judgement in this clinical population compared to healthy controls, and none included neuroimaging or physiological measures. Although scarce, the available data suggest a complex pattern of moral judgments that deviate from normal response. This finding was accompanied by socio-emotional and cognitive deficits. Only preliminary data are available on moral cognition in MS, and its neurobiological foundations are still needing to be explored. Future studies would benefit from combining moral cognitive measures with comprehensive neuropsychological batteries and neuroimaging/neurophysiological modalities (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging, tractography, evoked potentials, electroencephalography) aiming to decipher the neural underpinning of moral judgement deficits and subsequently conceive potential interventions in MS patients.

Involvement of the Amygdala in Memory and Psychosocial Functioning in Pediatric-Onset Multiple Sclerosis

Youth with multiple sclerosis (MS) often experience cognitive impairment and psychosocial disturbances. We describe the relationship between memory function, psychosocial skills, and brain volume in 32 patients with pediatric-onset MS and 30 controls. Amygdala volume was significantly lower in patients compared with controls. In general, poorer memory was associated with reduced functional communication skills and reduced amygdala volume. Greater amygdala volume in patients correlated with parent-reported functional communication and social skills. Adjusting for whole-brain volume, right amygdala volume was positively associated with visual memory; left amygdala volume was a stronger predictor of parent-reported social skills.

Relationship between Social Cognition and traditional cognitive impairment in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis and possible implicated neuroanatomical regions

BACKGROUND

Cognitive impairment is a relevant contributor of the medical and social burden in Progressive MS. Social Cognition, the neurocognitive processes underlying social interaction, has been explored mainly in European and North American cohorts, influencing social aspects of quality of life (QOL) of early MS patients and families. Few studies have studied Social Cognition in Progressive MS and the literature on its neuroanatomical bases or brain atrophy measurements is still scarce.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the relationship between Social Cognition performance and its correlations with traditional cognitive domains, brain atrophy and QOL in primary and secondary Progressive MS patients.

METHODS

Cross-sectional analysis including: mini-Social-Cognition-and-Emotional-Assessment (mini-SEA), neuropsychological battery, disability, depression, fatigue, QOL, and brain volume.

RESULTS

Forty-three MS patients, 23 primary and 20 secondary Progressive, 65% women, mean age and disease duration of 57.2 and 15.7 years, respectively, with high levels of disability (median EDSS 6.0) and a widespread impairment in traditional domains (mostly episodic verbal/visual and working memories) were assessed. The Mini-SEA score was correlated with executive functions (cognitive shifts Rho:0.55; p = 0.001) analyzing the whole group, and with visual episodic memory (Rho:0.58, p = 0.009) in the primary Progressive MS group. Mini-SEA score was also correlated with total normalized grey matter volume (Rho:0.48; p = 0.004). Particularly, atrophy within bilateral cortical regions of orbitofrontal, insula and cerebellum, and right regions of fusiform gyrus and precuneus were significantly associated with higher Social Cognition impairment. In this cohort, QOL was not correlated with Social Cognition, but with EDSS, fatigue and depression.

CONCLUSIONS

In Progressive MS, Social Cognition is directly correlated with traditional cognitive domains such as executive function and episodic memory. It is also associated with global grey matter atrophy and regional atrophy within associative visual and executive cortical areas, but no correlations with QOL were found in this cohort. These findings may contribute to the understanding of the pathological bases behind Social Cognition in Progressive MS.