Social Cognition In Individuals Research Articles

Validation of behavioral measures of social cognition in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia

Schizophrenia, a complex neuropsychiatric disorder, manifests severe impairments in social cognition, notably in Theory of Mind (ToM), empathy, and emotion recognition, which significantly influence social competence and overall functioning. These aspects are crucial for prognosis in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia (SZ). This study validates a comics strip paradigm for ToM and empathy assessment, the Montreal Affective Voices (MAV) for measuring emotion recognition, and a Go-NoGo task for inhibition control estimation in individuals diagnosed with SZ, comparing their performance with healthy controls. SZ participants exhibited diminished abilities in the comics strip task, especially in ToM and empathy conditions, alongside challenges in identifying emotions from vocal cues in MAV. They responded slower and tended to be less accurate in the Go-NoGo task. The validated behavioral battery addresses the limitations of previous measures and emerges as a promising tool for future investigations into the neural systems underlying social cognition in schizophrenia. Such insights can lead to the development of long-needed treatment for negative symptoms and social dysfunctions in schizophrenia.

Differential Social Cognitive Performance in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia

To study general and subdomain performance in measures of social cognition in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia, and to explore associations between social cognitive and neuropsychological subdomains. Cross-sectional study of participants from the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study (MAS). Current data was collected in 2016-2018. Community-dwelling older adults (n=321) aged 80 years and above, with no history of neurological or psychiatric conditions. Participants had dementia, MCI, or no cognitive impairment (NCI). Social cognition was indexed using the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET), the Interpersonal Reactivity Index - Perspective Taking (IRI-PT) and Empathic Concern (IRI-EC) subscales, and the Emotion Recognition Task (ERT). These subdomain scores were used to make a composite social cognition score. Apathy was measured via the Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES). Neurocognitive function was indexed using the Addenbrooke Cognitive Examination v3 (ACE-3). Dementia was associated with poorer overall social cognitive composite performance. MCI and dementia participants performed poorer on RMET and recognition of anger, disgust and happiness on ERT. RMET and ERT disgust remained significant after controlling for relevant covariates. Dementia participants performed poorer than MCI and NCI on the IRI-PT, IRI-EC, and AES. AES remained significant after regression. RMET was correlated with ACE-3 Fluency and/or Language in all study groups. MCI is associated with poorer scores in specific social cognitive assessments. Dementia is somewhat associated with poorer scores in informant-rated social cognition scales, though this is no longer significant after accounting for apathy.

Pilot study on the effectiveness of the socialmind program for the rehabilitation of social cognition following acquired brain injury.

People with acquired brain injury (ABI) often have Social Cognition (SC) deficits. Impairment of SC causes the individual to have difficulties in daily functioning and can lead to social isolation. Research aimed at rehabilitation of SC in individuals with ABI is scarce and almost always addresses only one component of this ability. This pilot study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the new "SocialMind" program in improving all core components of SC in people with ABI. The study included 31 participants with ABI, divided into experimental and control groups. The study spanned 44 weeks, involving an initial meeting, evaluation, training, and final assessment phases. The SocialMind program, structured into four modules, each with a duration of 30 h, targeted each SC component through tailored exercises. The program addressed emotion recognition, social awareness, ToM, and empathy. The SocialMind group demonstrated significant improvements in emotion recognition (p = 0.017), social knowledge (p < 0.001), and empathy (p = 0.001) compared to the control group. ToM also showed a notable improvement that approached significance (p = 0.057). This pilot study suggests that the SocialMind program effectively enhances three of the four core components of SC in individuals with ABI.

The Role of Social Cognition in Depression and Its Relationship to Early Maladaptive Schemas

Background: Social cognition is the capacity to detect, comprehend, and evaluate environmentally relevant information and serves as a critical skill for effective interpersonal functioning. A significant clinical characteristic of depressive illness is the impairment in social and interpersonal functioning. Given the increasing prevalence of interpersonal difficulties among individuals with depression, it is crucial to get a greater insight into the underlying cognitive mechanisms leading to these social deficits. Alongside, early maladaptive schemas (EMS) also serve as proximal cognitive risk factors for depression. Altered socio-cognitive functioning in individuals with can help to draw a connection between impaired social cognition and EMS. In this context, the present study explores the role of social cognition in individuals with depression in relation to EMS. Methods: In this study, individuals of both genders ( N = 60) were pooled based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and screened for depression through the Beck Depression Inventory. Emotion Recognition and Theory of Mind (ToM) were assessed using the Reading Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) and Theory of Mind Assessment Scale (TH.O.M.A.S), respectively. EMS was assessed using the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form. Results: Results indicate individuals with depression were found to be impaired in both domains of social cognition-emotion recognition and ToM. Individuals with depression also exhibited a greater number of EMS. A significant association was found between EMS and social cognition in depression. Moreover, few of the EMS emerged as significant predictors for social cognition in depression. Conclusion: Individuals with depression exhibit impairment in “reading” social interactions. Moreover, they exhibit specific EMS that emerges as significant predictors of social cognition. Implications of the study focus on recognizing EMS as a tool for addressing the socio-cognitive impairment in depression.

Exploring social cognition in individuals with neuropsychiatric symptoms following acquired brain injury

In this study, we explored the social cognitive skills of individuals with neuropsychiatric symptoms following acquired brain injury (ABI). To this end, a retrospective chart review was carried out. We examined scores on social cognition tests that were administered as part of routine neuropsychological assessment at a Dutch specialized care facility for patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms following ABI. In addition, correlations with time post injury were explored. Aspects of social cognition (emotion recognition, Theory of Mind (ToM) and empathy) were measured using the Emotion Recognition Task (n = 40), the Ekman 60-Faces Test of the Facial Expression of Emotion: Stimuli and Tests (n = 11) and the Faux Pas Test (n = 36). 72.5% to 81.8% of participants scored very low or low on emotion recognition. Participants’ scores for ToM and empathy were lower than those reported recently for samples of Dutch stroke and traumatic brain injury patients. Correlations between social cognition scores and time since injury were non-significant or negative. While further research is necessary, our results indicate that social cognitive problems are prevalent and persistent in individuals who display neuropsychiatric symptoms after ABI. Future studies should employ a prospective approach in order to confirm our exploratory findings.

Beyond memory: exploring the value of social cognition for older adults with neurocognitive disorders.

Neurocognitive disorders involves progressive decline in cognition, function, behavior and needs. Recent developments have identified the need to characterize social cognition in individuals with neurocognitive impairments to support uncertainty in clinical decision making, treatment plans and monitoring individual change. Routine social cognition assessments have thus been more recently used and adopted in persons with dementia or mild cognitive impairment. This work serves to summarize current assessments and provide a discourse on the practicality of available social cognition tools, its implication in clinical practice and key future directions. We highlight advantages in establishing validated, multicomponent measures of social cognition for people with neurocognitive disorders.

Systematic Review of Gaming and Neuropsychological Assessment of Social Cognition.

Playing video games is associated with cognitive changes and possibly psychosocial difficulties. Problematic gaming occurs upon the loss of control over videogame playing; gaming disorder is considered a behavioral addiction in the 11th version of the International Classification of Diseases. Models used to understand behavioral addictions include cognition as an essential factor in the development, maintenance, and relapse of addiction. Nevertheless, some aspects of cognition, such as social cognition, remain underexplored, despite evidence of alterations in cognitive and social function among patients with problematic gaming. This review aimed to describe the current understanding of social cognition in individuals exposed to videogames. We included all studies assessing social cognition in participants of any age with a wide range of exposure to video games (from simple use of video games (such as at least two exposures) to problematic gaming, defined according to the included study). This wide range of exposure allowed us to explore the whole process from repeated exposure to addiction. We included only studies that used neuropsychological tasks to assess social cognition. Patient-reported outcomes that could be biased by subjective self-report data were not included. The search was conducted from inception to January 2022 in three databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science). The systematic search identified 39 studies that assessed facial emotion processing, empathy, theory of mind, social decision-making, aggressive behavior, and moral competence. In general, results have been mixed, and a number of questions remain unanswered. Nevertheless, several studies showed cerebral changes when processing facial emotion that were linked with problematic gaming, while no link was obtained between nonproblematic gaming and empathy alterations. The influences of cooperation patterns, theory of mind, moral competence, and gaming frequency were highlighted. Finally, there was substantial heterogeneity in the population assessed and the methods used.

Pilot Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial Evaluating the Feasibility of an Intranasal Oxytocin in Improving Social Cognition in Individuals Living with Alzheimer's Disease.

Individuals living with Alzheimer's disease (AD) demonstrate extensive deficits in social cognition. To date, no studies have investigated the feasibility of an intranasal oxytocin (INOT) treatment to improve social cognition in individuals living with AD. We conducted a pilot trial to determine recruitment feasibility, enrolment acceptability, and adherence to an INOT treatment to inform on the subsequent design of a future randomized controlled trial (RCT). We also estimated the effect sizes of potential social cognitive function outcome measures related to participants and their caregivers. Four individuals with AD were enrolled in a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial involving a one-week treatment period with both INOT (72 IU twice daily) and placebo. All participants reported no treatment-causative or serious adverse events following repeated INOT administration. While enrolment acceptability (100%) and INOT adherence (placebo, 95%; INOT, 98%) were excellent, feasibility of recruitment was not acceptable (i.e., n = 4/58 individuals screened met inclusion criteria). However, positive/large effects were associated with secondary outcomes of self-reported health and wellbeing, caregiver 'burden', intimacy and interpersonal-bonding, following repeated INOT administration. No positive effects were associated with participant outcomes of social cognition. This pilot RCT provides first evidence that INOT administration in individuals living with AD is safe and well-tolerated. Despite limitations in sample size, moderate-to-large effect size improvements were identified in participant health outcomes as well as core social cognitive functions and 'burden' as reported by a caregiver. This suggests potential broad-ranging beneficial effects of INOT which should be assessed in future RCTs.

Exposure to childhood trauma and social cognition in individuals at clinicial high risk for psychosis and first-episode psychoses

Exposure to childhood trauma and social cognition in individuals at clinicial high risk for psychosis and first-episode psychoses

Pilot Randomised, Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled Crossover Trial Evaluating the Feasibility of an Intranasal Oxytocin in Improving Social Cognition in Individuals Living with Alzheimer’s Disease

AbstractBackgroundIndividuals living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) demonstrate global deficits in social cognition. These deficits have been associated with impaired interpersonal relationships amongst caregivers, in turn contributing to a greater sense of caregiver ‘burden’. In other areas of neuropsychiatric disease (i.e., autism spectrum disorder), intranasal oxytocin (INOT) administration has shown replicable improvements in social cognitive function, particularly in Theory of Mind. Recently, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in frontotemporal dementia have reported that repeated INOT administration may be regarded as safe and well tolerated at higher doses ‐ resulting in changes to apathy and improvements in empathic concern, as rated by a caregiver. To date, no studies have investigated the feasibility of an INOT treatment in individuals living with AD. Here, we conducted a pilot feasibility trial to determine the feasibility of recruitment, the acceptability of enrolment and the adherence to an INOT treatment in order to inform the subsequent design of a future RCT. Secondly, we sought to determine the effect size estimates on key potential social cognitive function outcome measures related to both the participant and their caregiver.MethodFour individuals living with AD were enrolled in a single‐centre, randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled crossover trial involving a one‐week treatment period with both INOT (72 IU) and placebo.ResultAll participants reported no treatment‐causative or serious adverse events, following repeated INOT administration. While acceptability of enrolment was excellent (100%), as well as INOT treatment adherence (placebo, 95%; INOT, 98%), our feasibility of recruitment was not acceptable (i.e., only 7% of fifty‐eight individuals with dementia screened met inclusion criteria). However, positive/large effects were associated with expected secondary outcomes around self‐reported health and wellbeing, caregiver ‘burden’, intimacy and interpersonal bonding, following repeated INOT administration.ConclusionThese data provide the first evidence demonstrating the safety and tolerability of INOT administration in individuals living with AD. Despite limitations in sample size, moderate‐to‐large effect size improvements were identified in participant health outcomes as well as core social cognitive functions and burden as reported by a caregiver. This suggests potential broad‐ranging beneficial effects of INOT which should be assessed in future RCTs from multiple perspectives.

Developing immersive videos to train social cognition in individuals with schizophrenia in forensic psychiatry

PurposeThis study aims to develop immersive scenarios (immersive videos) to foster generalization of learning while addressing social cognition, a factor associated to violence in schizophrenia. The authors sought to develop immersive videos that generate a sense of presence; are socially realistic; and can be misinterpreted and, if so, lead to anger.Design/methodology/approachA multiphase mixed method was used to develop and validate the immersive scenarios. The development phase consisted of preliminary interviews and co-design workshops with patients (n = 7) and mental health practitioners (n = 7). The validation phase was conducted with patients (n = 7) and individuals without mental disorders (n = 7).FindingsThe development phase led to the creation of five scenarios (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5); they included social cues which could lead to self-referential and intentional biases. Results of the validation phase showed that all scenarios generated a sense of presence and were considered highly realistic. Three scenarios elicited biases and, consequently, moderate levels of anger (annoyance).Practical implicationsImmersive videos represent a relevant and accessible technological solution to address social-cognitive domains such as self-reference bias.Originality/valueNo intervention using immersive technologies had been developed or studied yet for individuals with schizophrenia at risk of violence in secure settings. This project demonstrated the feasibility of creating immersive videos which have relevant attributes to foster generalization of learning in the remediation of social-cognitive deficits.

Neuronal responses in social-emotional information processing in impulsive aggressive individuals.

How we perceive and interpret signals from others' behavior, known as social-emotional information processing (SEIP), is key when responding to social threat. Impulsively aggressive individuals, behaviorally, demonstrate impaired SEIP for encoding relevant social stimuli, attribution of intent of the other person in the interaction, and responding negatively to potentially threatening social situations. In this study, we sought to explore how neural processing differs between healthy controls (HC) and individuals with impulsive aggressive behavior (individuals with Intermittent Explosive Disorder, I-IED), during a validated SEIP paradigm. Forty-five adults (19 I-IED, 26 HC) participants underwent a validated SEIP tasks during an fMRI scan. The task utilized video clips depicting a socially ambiguous, but possibly aggressive (AGG), act by one person to another and control video clips in which where possibly aggressive act does not occur (CON). Behavioral anomalies in SEIP are also manifest in altered neural activation in distributed networks/brain regions in each phase of SEIP examined. Overall, neural responses during the SEIP paradigm were characterized as reduced discrimination of the AGG vs. CON videos for I-IEDs compared to HCs. These data suggest the presence of compromised neural circuits underlying impaired social cognition in individuals with IED and highlights potential neural targets of intervention for impaired social cognition in I-IED and other behavioral disorders as well.

Changes in emotion processing and social cognition with auditory versus visual neuroscience-informed cognitive training in individuals with schizophrenia

BackgroundNeuroscience-informed cognitive training has been used to remediate cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, but their effect on emotion processing and social cognition deficits, which may involve auditory and visual impairments, remain relatively unknown. In this study, we compared the efficacy of auditory versus visual neuroscience-informed cognitive training on emotion processing and social cognition in individuals with schizophrenia. MethodsIn this randomised, double-blind clinical trial, 79 participants with chronic schizophrenia performed 40-hours auditory or visual dynamically equivalent computerised cognitive training. We assessed emotion processing and social cognition using Emotion Recognition, Affective Go-NoGo, Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional-Intelligence, Theory of mind, and Hinting tests before and after 20 h and 40 h of training. ResultsAfter training, participants from both groups decreased their reaction time for facial emotion recognition (p = 3 × 10−6, d = 0.9). This was more remarkable for the auditory group when analysing individual emotions. Both groups also reduced omissions in the affective go-no go (p = 0.01, d = 0.6), which was also attributed, post hoc, to the auditory group. Trends for improvement were observed in theory of mind (p = 0.06, d = 0.6) for both groups. Improvement in emotion processing was associated with improvement in reasoning and problem solving and global cognition and improvement in theory of mind was associated with improvement in attention and global cognition. ConclusionsBoth the auditory and the visual neuroscience-informed cognitive training were efficacious at improving emotion processing and social cognition in individuals with schizophrenia, although improvement was more remarkable for the auditory training group. These improvements were related to cognitive – but not symptom – improvement.

Social cognition in individuals with schizophrenia: Ongoing randomised controlled pilot data analysis

Impaired social cognition is frequent in individuals with schizophrenia (IS); however, how far predicting the intentions of others is affected is unclear. We have previously shown that healthy individuals can predict social intentions and adapt their behaviour, whereas individuals with prediction deficits, like autism spectrum disorder, fail to do so. This study aims to assess prediction deficits in IS using a novel neuropsychological method.

Social cognition in individuals born preterm

Faces hold a substantial value for effective social interactions and sharing. Covering faces with masks, due to COVID-19 regulations, may lead to difficulties in using social signals, in particular, in individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions. Daily-life social participation of individuals who were born preterm is of immense importance for their quality of life. Here we examined face tuning in individuals (aged 12.79 ± 1.89 years) who were born preterm and exhibited signs of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), a dominant form of brain injury in preterm birth survivors. For assessing the face sensitivity in this population, we implemented a recently developed experimental tool, a set of Face-n-Food images bordering on the style of Giuseppe Arcimboldo. The key benefit of these images is that single components do not trigger face processing. Although a coarse face schema is thought to be hardwired in the brain, former preterms exhibit substantial shortages in the face tuning not only compared with typically developing controls but also with individuals with autistic spectrum disorders. The lack of correlations between the face sensitivity and other cognitive abilities indicates that these deficits are domain-specific. This underscores impact of preterm birth sequelae for social functioning at large. Comparison of the findings with data in individuals with other neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric conditions provides novel insights into the origins of deficient face processing.

The limited effect of neural stimulation on visual attention and social cognition in individuals with schizophrenia

BackgroundResearch demonstrates a relationship between faulty visual attention and poorer social cognition in schizophrenia. One potential explanatory model suggests abnormal neuromodulation in specific neural networks may result in reduced attention to socially important cues, leading to poorer understanding of another's emotional state or intentions. ObjectiveThe current study experimentally manipulated neural networks using tDCS to examine this potential causal mechanism. The primary aim was to determine whether stimulation to the right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) improves visual attention, and secondary aims were to determine whether 1) stimulation improves social cognitive performance and 2) visual attention moderates this improved performance. MethodUsing a double-blind crossover design, 69 individuals with schizophrenia underwent both active and sham stimulation to either the rTPJ of the ventral attention network (n = 36) or the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex of the social brain network (dmPFC; n = 33). Following stimulation, participants completed tasks assessing emotion recognition and mentalizing. Concurrent eye tracking assessed visual attention, measuring proportion of time spent attending to areas of interest. ResultsFor emotion recognition, stimulation failed to impact either visual attention or social cognitive task accuracy. Similarly, neurostimulation failed to affect visual attention on the mentalizing task. However, exploratory analyses demonstrated that mentalizing accuracy significantly improved after stimulation to the active comparator, dmPFC, with no improvement after stimulation to rTPJ. ConclusionResults demonstrate limited effect of a single stimulation session on visual attention and emotion recognition accuracy but provide initial support for an alternate neural mechanism for mentalizing, highlighting the importance of executive functions over visual attention.

The Association Between Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test Performance and Intelligence Quotient in Children and Adolescents With Asperger Syndrome.

Background: There has been an extensive debate about a potential association between intelligence and social cognition. In this study, we aimed to assess the association between social cognition as measured with the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test (RMET) and intelligence as measured with the fourth edition of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) in children and adolescents diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome (AS).Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 84 children diagnosed with AS aged 6–16 years (mean = 11.64; standard deviation = 2.75; 92.9% males). We analyzed the association between RMET performance and WISC-IV total score as well as the association between RMET performance and each of the four WISC-IV indexes (processing speed index, PSI; working memory index, WMI; perceptual reasoning index, PRI, and verbal comprehension index, VCI).Results: We found a positive correlation between RMET performance and full-scale intelligence quotient (r = 0.340; p < 0.01), VCI (r = 0.310; p < 0.01), PRI (r = 0.401; p < 0.01), and WMI (r = 0.292; p < 0.01). In the linear regression model, age was a significant predictor of RMET score (β = 0.409; p < 0.001) as was PRI (β = 0.309; p = 0.019).Conclusion: Our results suggest that intelligence quotient positively influences RMET performance, indicating that intelligence increases social cognition in individuals diagnosed with AS. However, weak-to-moderate size effects were found. This study contributes to understanding the mechanisms underlying the disturbance of social cognition in children and adolescents diagnosed with AS.

Exploring the Interplay Between Adversity, Neurocognition, Social Cognition, and Functional Outcome in People With Psychosis: A Narrative Review.

History of adversity is associated with subsequent psychosis, and with a spectrum of cognitive alterations in individuals with psychosis. These cognitive features go from neurocognitive aspects as working memory and attention, to complex social cognitive processes as theory of mind and emotional perception. Difficulties in these domains impact patients' social and occupational functioning, which has been shown to be more impaired in those previously exposed to childhood trauma. However, the interplay between adversity, neurocognition, and functioning is yet poorly understood. This narrative review aims to explore the evidence on whether deficits in neurocognitive and social cognitive domains may act as possible putative mechanism linking adversity with functioning in people with psychosis. We show available evidence supporting the link between adversity and poorer functioning in psychosis, especially in chronic stages; and replicated evidence suggesting associations of social cognition and, to a lesser extent, neurocognition with impairment in functioning in patients; although there is still an important gap in the literature testing particularly deficits in social cognition as mediator of the link between adversity and functional decline in psychosis. Targeting interventions focusing on neurocognition and social cognition in individuals with adversity and psychosis seems important, given the severe deterioration of these patients in these domains, although more research is needed to test whether such treatments can specifically improve functioning in individuals with psychosis and adversity. Literature aiming to understand the determinants of functional outcome should consider the pervasive impact of childhood adversity, and its related effects on cognition.

Social cognition in individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and its link with psychopathology and social outcomes: a review

BackgroundThe 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is a genetic syndrome that results in a highly variable profile of affected individuals of which impairments in the social domain and increased psychopathology are the most prominent. Notably, 25–30% of affected individuals eventually develop schizophrenia/psychosis, predisposing persons with the syndrome to increased risk for this disorder. Because social cognition is considered to underlie social behavior and to be related to psychopathology, this systematic review investigated social cognition in individuals with 22q11DS and examined reported links across its domains with psychopathology and social outcomes. This can provide the basis for a closer understanding of the path from risk to disorder and will inform on the specific domains that can be targeted with preventive intervention strategies.MethodSystematic literature review of studies that reported the links between social cognitive domains and psychopathology and/or social outcomes in individuals with 22q11DS. Electronic databases searched were PubMed and PsycINFO.ResultsDefined eligibility criteria identified a total of ten studies to be included in the present review. Selected studies investigated links between two domains of social cognition (emotion processing and theory of mind (ToM)) and psychopathology and/or social outcomes. With respect to the links to psychopathology, two aspects of social cognition were related primarily to negative symptoms. Results regarding the associations to positive and emotional symptoms (anxiety/depression) are limited and require further investigation. Even though both aspects of social cognition were associated with social outcomes, several studies also found no links between these two domains. Both reports invite for an additional examination of reported results and specific considerations regarding chosen constructs.ConclusionAlthough equivocal, results of the present review provide sufficient evidence that social cognition is a useful domain for the closer elucidation of clinical outcomes and social difficulties in this population. At the same time, longitudinal studies and consideration of other variables are also necessary for a timely understanding of affected persons in this respect.

Novel instructionless eye tracking tasks identify emotion recognition deficits in frontotemporal dementia

BackgroundCurrent tasks measuring social cognition are usually ‘pen and paper’ tasks, have ceiling effects and include complicated test instructions that may be difficult to understand for those with cognitive impairment. We therefore aimed to develop a set of simple, instructionless, quantitative, tasks of emotion recognition using the methodology of eye tracking, with the subsequent aim of assessing their utility in individuals with behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD).MethodsUsing the Eyelink 1000 Plus eye tracker, 18 bvFTD and 22 controls completed tasks of simple and complex emotion recognition that involved viewing four images (one target face (simple) or pair of eyes (complex) and the others non-target) followed by a target emotion word and lastly the original four images alongside the emotion word. A dwell time change score was then calculated as the main outcome measure by subtracting the percentage dwell time for the target image before the emotion word appeared away from the percentage dwell time for the target image after the emotion word appeared. All participants also underwent a standard cognitive battery and volumetric T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.ResultsAnalysis using a mixed effects model showed that the average (standard deviation) mean dwell time change score in the target interest area was 35 (27)% for the control group compared with only 4 (18)% for the bvFTD group (p < 0.05) for the simple emotion recognition task, and 15 (26)% for the control group compared with only 2 (18)% for the bvFTD group (p < 0.05) for the complex emotion recognition task. Worse performance in the bvFTD group correlated with atrophy in the right ventromedial prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortices, brain regions previously implicated in social cognition.ConclusionsIn summary, eye tracking is a viable tool for assessing social cognition in individuals with bvFTD, being well-tolerated and able to overcome some of the problems associated with standard psychometric tasks.