Neuropsychological Laboratory, First Department of Neurology, Aeginition Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
First Department of Neurology, Aeginition Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2022 Aug;23(5-6):462-469. doi: 10.1080/21678421.2021.2013893. Epub 2021 Dec 15.
Dysfunction of social cognition is well-recognized as one of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cognitive impairments. Previous studies have mostly associated social cognition subcomponents, including Theory of Mind (ToM), with executive dysfunction using highly-demanding tasks. In the present study, we investigate dysfunction of affective ToM in a sample of ALS patients without dementia and evaluate any possible associations both with executive and non-executive dysfunction. We included 42 ALS patients and 30 healthy controls (HC) and administered the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Screen (ECAS). Affective ToM was examined based on the ECAS judgment of preference task; total score and type of errors ("favourite", "unclassified") were recorded for all participants. A significant proportion of ALS patients (31%) were impaired on ToM task, scoring significantly lower compared to HC. Impairments in ToM task were more frequent (45%) in patients with cognitive impairment compared to those with intact cognition (15%). ALS patients showed significantly more errors on ToM task compared to HC. A significant association was found between ToM score and ECAS language and visuospatial abilities but not fluency, executive or memory function. Dysfunction of affective ToM appears prevalent in ALS patients without dementia, and associates with language and visuospatial abilities. These associations align with motor and extra-motor symptoms due to the degeneration across corresponding networks. Impaired ToM should be considered in clinical settings, since it might contribute to patients' social life, as well as the burden of their caregivers and relatives.
社会认知功能障碍是肌萎缩侧索硬化症(ALS)认知障碍的特征之一。先前的研究大多将社会认知子成分,包括心理理论(Theory of Mind,ToM),与执行功能障碍联系起来,使用高要求的任务。在本研究中,我们在没有痴呆的 ALS 患者样本中研究了情感心理理论的功能障碍,并评估了与执行功能和非执行功能障碍的任何可能关联。我们纳入了 42 名 ALS 患者和 30 名健康对照者(HC),并进行了爱丁堡认知和行为肌萎缩侧索硬化症筛查(Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Screen,ECAS)。根据 ECAS 判断偏好任务评估情感心理理论;记录所有参与者的总分数和错误类型(“最喜爱”、“未分类”)。相当一部分 ALS 患者(31%)在心理理论任务上受损,得分明显低于 HC。与认知正常的患者(15%)相比,认知障碍患者的心理理论任务受损更常见(45%)。与 HC 相比,ALS 患者在心理理论任务上的错误明显更多。心理理论得分与 ECAS 语言和视空间能力显著相关,但与流畅性、执行功能或记忆功能无关。情感心理理论功能障碍在无痴呆的 ALS 患者中较为常见,与语言和视空间能力相关。这些关联与因相应网络退化导致的运动和运动外症状一致。在临床环境中应考虑受损的心理理论,因为它可能会影响患者的社交生活,以及他们的照顾者和亲属的负担。