Deficits In Affective Theory Of Mind Research Articles

What Do We Know about Theory of Mind Impairment in Parkinson's Disease?

Theory of mind (ToM) is a social cognitive skill that involves the ability to attribute mental states to self and others (what they think (cognitive ToM) and feel (affective ToM)). We aim to provide an overview of previous knowledge of ToM in Parkinson’s disease (PD). In the last few years more attention has been paid to the study of this construct as a non-motor manifestation of PD. In advanced stages, both components of ToM (cognitive and affective) are commonly impaired, although in early PD results remain controversial. Executive dysfunction correlates with ToM deficits and other cognitive domains such as language and visuospatial function have also been related to ToM. Recent studies have demonstrated that PD patients with mild cognitive impairment show ToM deficits more frequently in comparison with cognitively normal PD patients. In addition to the heterogeneity of ToM tests administered in different studies, depression and dopaminergic medication may also be acting as confounding factors, but there are still insufficient data to support this. Neuroimaging studies conducted to understand the underlying networks of cognitive and affective ToM deficits in PD are lacking. The study of ToM deficit in PD continues to be important, as this may worsen quality of life and favor social stigma. Future studies should be considered, including assessment of the patients’ cognitive state, associated mood disorders, and the role of dopaminergic deficit.

Cognitive and affective theory of mind deficits in Parkinson's disease

Recent studies have highlighted impairment in social – cognitive abilities in patients with Parkinson's disease. The hallmark of the social cognition is Theory of Mind (ToM), ability to infer about mental states (beliefs, desires) of other people. Cognitive impairment in fronto – striatal circuits is related to difficulties in understanding of other people minds. The aim of the study was to assess deficits in cognitive and affective ToM in Parkinson's disease. Secondary aim was to evaluate, whether deficits in ToM are related to cognitive impairment. Sample consisted of 88 patients with Parkinson's disease and 30 healthy individuals. Mean age of patients was M = 62.19 and SD = 9.69. Comic Strip Task (Cognitive ToM), Reading the Mind in the Eye Test (Affective ToM) and neurocognitive battery was administered. We found significant differences across groups in Comic Strip Task (t = −4.171, p < .001, d = −0.79) and Eyes Test (t = −4.313, p < .001, d = −1.10). Comic Strip Task was related to several neurocognitive domains. We found weaker associations for Eyes test. Both tests were moderately to strongly related to working memory task. We found deficits in both domains of ToM in patients with Parkinson's disease. Neurocognitve impairment characteristic for patients was related to social – cognitive abilities. That's very important finding, because such non-motoric symptoms have even greater impact on patients´ quality of life than motoric symptoms, even in the early stages of the disease.

Cognitive but Not Affective Theory of Mind Deficits in Progressive MS.

Social cognitive deficits are an important consequence of multiple sclerosis (MS), yet our understanding of how these deficits manifest in progressive MS is currently limited. To this end, we examined theory of mind (ToM) ability in a sample of individuals with progressive MS using an ecologically valid virtual assessment tool that allows for delineation of cognitive ToM (inferring thoughts and intentions of others) from affective ToM (inferring emotions of others). We compared 15 individuals with progressive MS and 15 healthy controls on their ToM ability using the Virtual Assessment of Mentalising Ability. We found that, relative to healthy controls, participants with progressive MS were impaired in cognitive ToM, but not in affective ToM. Furthermore, we found that the MS participants' deficits in cognitive ToM were mediated by their general cognitive ability such that poor cognitive ToM ability in MS was explained by poor performance on tests of memory and processing speed. Our findings demonstrate that ToM deficits in progressive MS may be limited to cognitive ToM, while affective ToM is conserved. This could be attributable to the MS-related deficits in general cognitive ability, which appear to negatively affect only the cognitive component of ToM.

Examining the “reading the mind in the eyes test” as an assessment of subtle differences in affective theory of mind after concussion

Objective: This research examined affective theory of mind (ToM) differences between university students with and without a history of concussion using the revised Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET). Although, previous studies have shown that affective ToM is subserved by the ventromedial prefrontal cortex – a region that is vulnerable in head injury – few have examined whether subtle deficits in affective ToM are evident after concussion. Given the RMET’s sensitivity to affective deficits following moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury, the current study examined its validity following concussion and its correlation with related ToM measures and constructs, such as empathy.Method: Seventy-seven students with and without a history of self-reported concussion completed the RMET, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, a novel Perspective-Taking Task, and the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy. Indices of spelling/reading capabilities were obtained and baseline electrodermal activation was recorded as an index of arousal.Results: RMET performance did not differ between individuals with and without a prior concussion when controlling for sex and spelling/reading skills and was not correlated with other measures of affective ToM, empathy, and arousal. However, spelling/reading skills were found to be a predictor of RMET performance among both concussion and no-concussion groups.Conclusions: Together, these findings imply that the RMET is not sensitive to ToM impairments after concussion and may be related to language skills among neurotypical students.

Emotion-Specific Affective Theory of Mind Impairment in Parkinson\u2019s Disease

The neuropathology of Parkinson’s disease (PD) involves the frontal-subcortical circuit, an area responsible for processing affective theory of mind (ToM). Patients with PD are expected to experience deficits in the affective ToM. This study aims to investigate whether the ability to infer emotion in others is affected in either young-onset Parkinson’s disease (YOPD) or middle-onset PD (MOPD) patients and to test whether the impairments in affective ToM are associated with the motor symptoms. The affective ToM, global mental abilities, and clinical symptoms were assessed in a total of 107 MOPD, 30 YOPD, and 30 normal controls (NCs). The MOPD patients exhibited deficits in affective ToM to the negative and neutral valences, when compared to the participants in the NCs and YOPD group. By conducting gender-stratified analysis, the deficits in affective ToM was only found in female participants. After adjusting for demographic variables, the multiple linear regression model revealed that affective ToM predicted motor symptoms, especially in female MOPD patients. The present study may aid in the development of medical care programs by advocating for a more comprehensive therapeutic plan that includes continuous disease progression monitoring and social skills training for female MOPD patients or their caregivers.

Examining differences in cognitive and affective theory of mind between persons with high and low extent of somatic symptoms: an experimental study

BackgroundMedically unexplained somatic symptoms are common, associated with disability and strongly related to depression and anxiety disorders. One interesting, but to date rarely tested, hypothesis is that deficits in both theory of mind (ToM) and emotional awareness may undergird the phenomenon of somatization. This study sought to investigate whether or not differences in ToM functioning and self-reported emotional awareness are associated with somatic symptoms in a sample from the general population.MethodsThe sample consisted of 50 healthy participants (37 females, 13 males) aged between 22 and 64 years (46.8 ± 11.7) of whom 29 reported a high extent of somatic symptoms (HSR), whereas 21 reported a low extent of somatic symptoms (LSR) based on the 30 highest and lowest percentiles of the Symptom List norms. The participants’ affective and cognitive ToM were assessed with two experimental paradigms by experimenters who were blind to the participants’ group membership. In addition, self-reports regarding emotional awareness, alexithymia, depressive and anxiety symptoms and current affect were collected.ResultsIn the experimental tasks, HSR showed lower affective ToM than LSR but the groups did not differ in cognitive ToM. Although HSR reported lower emotional awareness than LSR in the self-report measure, this group difference vanished when we controlled for anxiety and depression. Depression, anxiety, emotional awareness and alexithymia were correlated positively.ConclusionsThe data supported the hypothesis that deficits in affective ToM are related to somatic symptoms. Neither cognitive ToM nor self-reported emotional awareness were associated with somatic symptoms. Self-reported emotional awareness, alexithymia and symptoms of depression and anxiety shared a considerable amount of variance.

Behavioral Evidence for an Impairment of Affective Theory of Mind Capabilities in Chronic Depression

Background: The only treatment specifically developed for chronic depression, the Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP), is based amongst others on the hypothesis that chronically depressed patients (CD) show considerable deficits of affective theory of mind (ToM) capabilities. Data are scarce, however, and it remains unclear if ToM deficits are specific or if they arise from global cognitive deficits associated with depression. This study investigates the specific deficits of affective ToM abilities in CD. Sampling and Methods: ToM abilities were assessed in 26 medication-free CD and 26 matched healthy controls (HC) by means of a previously established false-belief ToM cartoon task. Since the task allowed an intern control for cognitive factors - operationalized in a visuospatial ToM task - it was possible to investigate specific affective ToM deficits. Results: As hypothesized, the CD showed a significant specific slowdown of affective ToM compared to cognitive ToM (3rd person perspective) when compared to HC. Simultaneously, we observed a general deterioration of all ToM functions in CD. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that CD have a mentalization deficit, specifically for affective ToM functions. This deficit is combined with a general deterioration of ToM functions, most likely attributable to frequently described cognitive deficits in depression.

Cognitive but Not Affective Theory of Mind Deficits in Mild Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

We studied theory of mind (ToM) in patients with mild relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), seeking possible dissociations between its 2 components: cognitive ToM (the ability to infer others' intentions) and affective ToM (the ability to infer others' emotional states). We analyzed the relationship of ToM to executive function, depression, and fatigue. Dissociations between cognitive and affective ToM have been found in several neurologic and neuropsychiatric diseases. Most ToM studies in patients with MS have shown general ToM deficits but have not analyzed the cognitive and affective aspects individually. We used the Faux Pas test of ToM and tests of executive function to assess 18 patients with mild relapsing-remitting MS and 16 control participants. Our patients showed deficits in cognitive ToM, but their affective ToM seemed to be spared. Their cognitive ToM deficits were not related to executive dysfunction, depression, or fatigue. Our study is the first differential analysis showing cognitive but not affective ToM deficits in mild relapsing-remitting MS. Further research is needed to determine the exact nature and the real impact of these deficits, and to establish their relationship with the neuropathology and progression of MS.

The effect of cognitive status and visuospatial performance on affective theory of mind in Parkinson&amp;#39;s disease

It is now well accepted that theory of mind (ToM) functioning is impaired in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. However, what remain unknown are the functions that underlie this impairment. It has been suggested that cognitive skills may be key in this area of functioning; however, many of the cognitive tests used to assess this have relied on intact visuospatial abilities. This study aimed to examine whether deficits in ToM were generated by cognitive or visuospatial dysfunction and the mediating effect of visuospatial function on ToM performance. Fifty PD patients (31 male, 19 female; mean age = 66.34 years) and 49 healthy controls (16 male, 33 female; mean age = 67.29 years) completed a ToM task (reading the mind in the eyes) and visuospatial task (line orientation). The results revealed that current cognitive status was a significant predictor for performance on the ToM task, and that 54% of the total effect of cognitive status on ToM was mediated by visuospatial abilities. It was concluded that visuospatial functioning plays an important mediating role for the relationship between executive dysfunction and affective ToM deficits in PD patients, and that visuospatial deficits may directly contribute to the presence of affective ToM difficulties seen in individuals with PD.

The role of the orbitofrontal cortex in affective theory of mind deficits in criminal offenders with psychopathic tendencies

Individuals with psychopathy show impaired emotional and social behavior, such as lack of emotional responsiveness to others and deficient empathy. However, there are controversies regarding these individuals theory of mind (ToM) abilities and the neuroanatomical basis of their aberrant social behavior. The present study tested the hypothesis that impairment in the emotional aspects of ToM (affective ToM) rather than general ToM abilities may account for the impaired social behavior observed in psychopathy and that this pattern of performance may be associated with orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) dysfunction. To assess the emotional and cognitive aspects of ToM we used a task that examines affective versus cognitive ToM processing in separate conditions. ToM abilities of criminal offender diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder with high psychopathy features were compared to that of participants with localized lesions in the OFC or dorsolateral, participants with non-frontal lesions, and healthy control subjects. Individuals with psychopathy and those with OFC lesions were impaired on the ‘affective ToM’ conditions but not in cognitive ToM conditions, compared to the control groups. It was concluded that the pattern of mentalizing impairments in psychopathy resembles remarkably that seen in participants with lesions of the frontal lobe, particularly with OFC damage, providing support for the notion of amygdala–OFC dysfunction in psychopathy.