Dataset Information

Exploring social cognition in patients with apathy following acquired brain damage.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Research on cognition in apathy has largely focused on executive functions. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have investigated the relationship between apathy symptoms and processes involved in social cognition. Apathy symptoms include attenuated emotional behaviour, low social engagement and social withdrawal, all of which may be linked to underlying socio-cognitive deficits.

Methods

We compared patients with brain damage who also had apathy symptoms against similar patients with brain damage but without apathy symptoms. Both patient groups were also compared against normal controls on key socio-cognitive measures involving moral reasoning, social awareness related to making judgements between normative and non-normative behaviour, Theory of Mind processing, and the perception of facial expressions of emotion. We also controlled for the likely effects of executive deficits and depressive symptoms on these comparisons.

Results

Our results indicated that patients with apathy were distinctively impaired in making moral reasoning decisions and in judging the social appropriateness of behaviour. Deficits in Theory of Mind and perception of facial expressions of emotion did not distinguish patients with apathy from those without apathy.

Conclusion

Our findings point to a possible socio-cognitive profile for apathy symptoms and provide initial insights into how socio-cognitive deficits in patients with apathy may affect social functioning.

SUBMITTER: Njomboro P

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3943587 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Exploring social cognition in patients with apathy following acquired brain damage.

Njomboro Progress P Humphreys Glyn W GW Deb Shoumitro S

BMC neurology 20140123

<h4>Background</h4>Research on cognition in apathy has largely focused on executive functions. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have investigated the relationship between apathy symptoms and processes involved in social cognition. Apathy symptoms include attenuated emotional behaviour, low social engagement and social withdrawal, all of which may be linked to underlying socio-cognitive deficits.<h4>Methods</h4>We compared patients with brain damage who also had apathy symptoms against si ...[more]

PMID: 24450311

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Project description:Conceptualizations of the nature of acquired personality disturbances after brain damage, especially to prefrontal cortex, have progressed from clinical observations of a large, disparate set of disturbances to theories concerning neuroanatomically-based subgroups with prefrontal damage. However, hypothesized subtypes have not yet been studied systematically. Based on our previous investigations of acquired personality disturbances, we hypothesized five subtypes of acquired personality disturbances: Executive Disturbances, Disturbed Social Behavior, Emotional Dysregulation, Hypo-emotionality/De-Energization, and Distress, as well as an undisturbed group. Subtypes were investigated in 194 adults with chronic, stable, focal lesions located in various aspects of prefrontal lobes and elsewhere in the brain, using two different cluster analysis techniques applied to ratings on the Iowa Scales of Personality Change. One technique was a hypothesis-driven approach; the other was a set of strictly empirical analyses to assess the robustness of clusters found in the first analysis. The hypothesis-driven analysis largely supported the hypothesized set of subtypes. However, in contrast to the hypothesis, it suggested that disturbed social behavior and emotional dysregulation are not two distinct subtypes, but two aspects of one multifaceted type of disturbance. Additionally, the so-labeled "executive disturbances" group also showed disturbances in other domains. Results from the second (empirical) set of cluster analyses were consistent with findings from the hypothesis-driven cluster analysis. Overall, findings across the two cluster analyses indicated four subtypes of acquired personality disturbances: (1) executive disturbances in association with generalized disturbance, (2) dysregulation of emotions and behavior, (3) hypo-emotionality and de-energization, and (4) distress/anxiety. These findings show strong correspondence with subtypes suggested by prominent models of prefrontal systems based on neuroanatomically-defined circuits. Clarification of distinctive subtypes of acquired personality disturbances is a step toward enhancing our ability to tailor rehabilitative interventions for patients with prefrontal brain injuries.

Project description:ImportanceCognitive resilience refers to the general capacity of cognitive processes to be less susceptible to differences in brain structure from age- and disease-related changes. Studies suggest that supportive social networks reduce Alzheimer disease and related disorder (ADRD) risk by enhancing cognitive resilience, but data on specific social support mechanisms are sparse.ObjectiveTo examine the association of individual forms of social support with a global neuroanatomical measure of early ADRD vulnerability and cognition.Design, setting, and participantsThis retrospective cross-sectional analysis used prospectively collected data from Framingham Study participants without dementia, stroke, or other neurological conditions who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging and neuropsychological testing at the same visit. Data from this large, population-based, longitudinal cohort were collected from June 6, 1997, to December 13, 1999 (original cohort), and from September 11, 1998, to October 26, 2001 (offspring cohort). Data were analyzed from May 22, 2017, to June 1, 2021.ExposuresTotal cerebral volume and, as a modifying exposure variable, self-reported availability of 5 types of social support measured by the Berkman-Syme Social Network Index.Main outcomes and measuresThe primary outcome was a global measure of cognitive function. Cognitive resilience was defined as the modification of total cerebral volume's association with cognition, such that smaller β estimates (presented in SD units) indicate greater cognitive resilience (ie, better cognitive performance than estimated by lower total cerebral volume).ResultsThe study included 2171 adults (164 in the original cohort and 2007 in the offspring cohort; mean [SD] age, 63 [10] years; 1183 [54%] female). High listener availability was associated with greater cognitive resilience (β = 0.08, P < .001) compared with low listener availability (β = 0.20, P = .002). Overall findings persisted after adjustment for potential confounders. Other forms of social support were not significant modifiers (advice: β = -0.04; P = .40 for interaction; love-affection: β = -0.07, P = .28 for interaction; emotional support: β = -0.02, P = .73 for interaction; and sufficient contact: β = -0.08; P = .11 for interaction).Conclusions and relevanceThe results of this cross-sectional cohort study suggest that social support in the form of supportive listening is associated with greater cognitive resilience, independently modifying the association between lower total cerebral volume and poorer cognitive function that would otherwise indicate increased ADRD vulnerability at the preclinical stage. A refined understanding of social support mechanisms has the potential to inform strategies to reduce ADRD risk and enhance cognitive resilience.

Dataset Information

Exploring social cognition in patients with apathy following acquired brain damage.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Exploring social cognition in patients with apathy following acquired brain damage.

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