Bayliss Leo, Galvez Víctor, Ochoa-Morales Adriana, Chávez-Oliveros Mireya, Rodríguez-Agudelo Yaneth, Delgado-García Guillermo, Boll Marie Catherine
Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía Manuel Velasco Suárez, Division of Neurology, Mexico City, Tlalpan, Mexico.
Universidad Panamericana, Escuela de Psicologia, Laboratorio de Neurociencias Cognitivas y Desarrollo, Mexico City, Mexico.
Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2019 Sep 5;77(8):574-578. doi: 10.1590/0004-282X20190092.
Huntington disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder characterized by movement disorders, cognitive impairment, and psychiatric symptoms. Relatives of HD patients experience a great burden as the latter suffer from altered social conduct and deterioration of interpersonal relationships. Theory of mind (ToM) is the ability to attribute mental states (to oneself and others). Deficits in ToM are thought to have a role in the changes in empathy and interpersonal difficulties that HD patients face. METHODS We conducted a cross sectional study to compare ToM task scores of patients with mild to moderate HD, their relatives (spouse or at-risk first-degree relative with a negative gene test) and controls.Individuals with dementia or depression were excluded. The ToM test battery included Spanish versions of the Reading Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET), Happé's Strange Stories (Social and Physical Stories subtests) and the Hinting Task. RESULTS The series comprised 12 HD patients, 12 relatives and 12 controls. The HD patients showed lower affective ToM scores than controls (RMET 19 [3.5] vs 23.9 [2.7], p = 0.016). Cognitive ToM tasks scores were lower in HD patients than controls as well (Happé's Social Stories 9 [2.6] vs 13 [1.9], p = 0.001; the Hinting Task 13.6 [3.4] vs 17.5 [4.0], p = 0.009). In the Hinting Task, HD relatives had lower scores in than controls (13 [3.2] vs 17.5 [4.0], p = 0.009) and similar scores to controls in the rest of the battery. CONCLUSION The HD patients with mild to moderate disease severity and their relatives show ToM deficits.
亨廷顿舞蹈症（HD）是一种常染色体显性遗传病，其特征为运动障碍、认知障碍和精神症状。HD患者的亲属承受着巨大负担，因为患者社交行为改变，人际关系恶化。心理理论（ToM）是指将心理状态（归因于自己和他人）的能力。人们认为ToM缺陷在HD患者面临的同理心变化和人际困难中起作用。方法：我们进行了一项横断面研究，比较轻度至中度HD患者、他们的亲属（配偶或基因检测呈阴性的高危一级亲属）和对照组的ToM任务得分。排除患有痴呆或抑郁症的个体。ToM测试组包括西班牙语版的《从眼睛读懂心灵测试》（RMET）、哈佩的《奇怪故事》（社会故事和身体故事子测试）以及暗示任务。结果：该系列包括12名HD患者、12名亲属和12名对照组。HD患者的情感ToM得分低于对照组（RMET 19[3.5]对23.9[2.7]，p = 0.016）。HD患者的认知ToM任务得分也低于对照组（哈佩的社会故事9[2.6]对13[1.9]，p = 0.001；暗示任务13.6[3.4]对17.5[4.0]，p = 0.009）。在暗示任务中，HD亲属的得分低于对照组（13[3.2]对17.5[4.0]，p = 0.009），在测试组的其他部分得分与对照组相似。结论：轻度至中度疾病严重程度的HD患者及其亲属存在ToM缺陷。
