Theory of mind, emotion recognition and emotional reactivity factors in early multiple sclerosis: Results from a South American cohort

Abstract

Objectives: To study different components of social cognition and quality of life in patients with early multiple sclerosis and low Expanded Disability Status Scale and to test the influence of cognitive performance, fatigue and neuropsychiatric symptoms on social cognition performance.

Methods: Thirty-four patients with relapsing-remitting MS, with ≤2 years of disease duration and scores ≤2 on the EDSS and 30 healthy controls underwent neuropsychological assessment with the Brief Repeatable Neuropsychological Test Battery. Components of social cognition, such as emotion recognition, theory of mind, empathy, and emotional reactivity, were assessed with the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test, the Faux Pas task, the International Affective Imagery System, and the Empathy Quotient. Anxiety, depression, fatigue and quality of life were measured.

Results: Patients showed significant differences in verbal memory, executive functions and social cognition, especially emotion recognition and ToM. Regarding emotional reactivity, patients showed a positive bias in the interpretation of the valence of neutral images.

Conclusions: Patients with early MS showed impairments in several components of social cognition independent of cognitive performance, neuropsychiatric symptoms and fatigue. Social cognition deficits may be present in MS even in the early stages.

Keywords: Cognition; cognitive dysfunction; multiple sclerosis; relapsing-remitting; theory of mind.