Searching for just a few words should be enough to get started. If you need to make more complex queries, use the tips below to guide you.
Article type: Research Article
Authors: Philpott, April L.a | Andrews, Sophie C.a; b | Staios, Mathewa | Churchyard, Andrewa | Fisher, Fionaa; *
Affiliations: [a] Calvary Health Care Bethlehem, Caulfield South, VIC, Australia | [b] School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Dr Fiona Fisher, Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist, Calvary Health Care Bethlehem, 476 Kooyong Road, Caulfield South, VIC 3162, Australia. Tel.: +61 3 9595 3255; Fax: +61 3 9595 3335; E-mail: fiona.fisher@calvarycare.org.au.
Abstract: Background: Huntington’s disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterised by motor, cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Recent research has established that individuals with HD display reduced discrimination of emotional facial expressions and impaired higher-order social cognitive skills, including ‘theory of mind’. Objective: This study aimed to further characterise the emotion evaluation and theory of mind deficits in HD in an ecologically-valid context, and determine their impact on socially-relevant functional abilities. Methods: A sample of 17 HD participants and 24 healthy controls were assessed using The Awareness of Social Inference Test (TASIT), together with additional self- and informant rated measures of cognition, social communication, empathy and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Results: Participants with HD showed significant difficulties in evaluating negative emotions, and understanding sincere, sarcastic and ‘paradoxical sarcastic’ statements, compared with controls. The ability to evaluate positive emotions was negatively correlated with behavioural problems, but no other clinical, behavioural or communication measures correlated significantly with TASIT subscales. Conclusions: These findings suggest that social cognitive difficulties in symptomatic HD may be underpinned by more generalised impairments, related to deciphering social exchanges, as opposed to a selective theory of mind deficit. Such difficulties have the potential to place significant strain on interpersonal relationships, and thus warrant thorough clinical assessment, using ecologically-valid tools, to promote early detection and development of person-centred interventions.
Keywords: Social cognition, theory of mind, TASIT, emotion recognition, sarcasm, executive function, social communication, empathy, clinical assessment
DOI: 10.3233/JHD-160190
Journal: Journal of Huntington's Disease, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 175-183, 2016
IOS Press, Inc.
6751 Tepper Drive
Clifton, VA 20124
USA
Tel: +1 703 830 6300
Fax: +1 703 830 2300
sales@iospress.com
For editorial issues, like the status of your submitted paper or proposals, write to editorial@iospress.nl
IOS Press
Nieuwe Hemweg 6B
1013 BG Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 20 688 3355
Fax: +31 20 687 0091
info@iospress.nl
For editorial issues, permissions, book requests, submissions and proceedings, contact the Amsterdam office info@iospress.nl
Inspirees International (China Office)
Ciyunsi Beili 207(CapitaLand), Bld 1, 7-901
100025, Beijing
China
Free service line: 400 661 8717
Fax: +86 10 8446 7947
china@iospress.cn
For editorial issues, like the status of your submitted paper or proposals, write to editorial@iospress.nl
如果您在出版方面需要帮助或有任何建, 件至: editorial@iospress.nl