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Theory of mind: a new perspective on cluster headache—a cross-sectional study

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Abstract

Introduction

Theory of mind (ToM) is the ability to attribute mental states of self and others, such as beliefs (cognitive ToM) and feelings (affective ToM). Based on the role of the hypothalamus in pain and social cognition, our aim is to determine whether ToM is impaired in patients with cluster headache (CH).

Methods

Cross-sectional study in which 31 episodic cluster headache (ECH) patients outside the bout and 20 matched controls carried out social cognition and executive function tasks. Patients were recruited from an outpatient Headache Unit.

Results

Patients performed worse than healthy controls at cognitive ToM (t = 4.2, p < 0.001) task but not at affective ToM. Executive function was also impaired (t = 4.8, p < 0.001) and higher scores at anxiety and depression questionnaires (t =  − 2.9, p = 0.006; t =  − 3.6, p = 0.001) were reported. There was no correlation between ToM scores and executive function, anxiety and depression symptoms, or disease duration and severity.

Discussion

Our results suggest that ECH patients can perceive other people’s or selves’ feelings (affective ToM) but have more difficulties than healthy subjects at recognizing beliefs (cognitive ToM).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurology Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa, San Juan Bosco 15, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain

    Sara Ballesta-Martínez, María del Pilar Navarro-Pérez, Elena Bellosta-Diago & Sonia Santos-Lasaosa

  2. Research Group of Movement Disorders and Headache (GIIS070), Aragon Institute of Health Sciences, San Juan Bosco 13, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain

    Sara Ballesta-Martínez, María del Pilar Navarro-Pérez, Elena Bellosta-Diago & Sonia Santos-Lasaosa

Authors
  1. Sara Ballesta-Martínez
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  2. María del Pilar Navarro-Pérez
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  3. Elena Bellosta-Diago
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  4. Sonia Santos-Lasaosa
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sara Ballesta-Martínez.

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Ethical approval

The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Local Ethics Committee of Clinical Research with the reference number PI20/421.

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All participants gave written informed consent before joining the study.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Ballesta-Martínez, S., del Pilar Navarro-Pérez, M., Bellosta-Diago, E. et al. Theory of mind: a new perspective on cluster headache—a cross-sectional study. Neurol Sci 43, 6047–6051 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-022-06234-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-022-06234-1

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