Testing social cognition in multiple sclerosis: Difference between emotion recognition and theory of mind and its influence on quality of life. Issue 1 (1st November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Grothe, Matthias; Opolka, Michael; Berneiser, Julia; Dressel, Alexander
• Is Part Of: Brain and behavior. Volume 11:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2020-11-01
• Subjects: multiple sclerosis -- quality of life -- social cognition; Neurology -- Periodicals; Neurosciences -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; 616.8005
• DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1925
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2162-3279

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Deficits in social cognition can occur in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, and different methods are utilized for its assessment. The aim of this study was to compare two tests of social cognition in a cohort of multiple sclerosis patients with respect to other clinical variables. Additionally, the impact of social cognition on quality of life was investigated. Methods: In total, 50 patients were included in the study. Two tests of social cognition, emotion recognition and theory of mind, were performed and controlled for disease disability, depression, fatigue, and cognition in a multiple linear regression. Assessment of quality of life was also conducted. Results: Accuracy on emotion recognition was better compared to theory of mind (86.5 ± 9.5% and 63.6 ± 10.1%, respectively). Cognition was associated with both social cognition tasks, accounting for more variance in the emotion recognition task. Quality of life was not related to social cognition. Conclusion: Studies on social cognition in MS have to keep in mind the higher degree of cognitive influence of emotion recognition compared to theory of mind. Abstract : Social cognition in multiple sclerosis can be assessed with emotion recognition and theory of mind. Cognition effects emotion recognition more than theory of mind. Social cognition impairment is not associated with quality of life.