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Social Cognition in Multiple Sclerosis: a Meta-Analysis

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Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with cognitive decline and impairment in social functioning. Accumulating evidence suggests that patients with MS are impaired in social cognition, including theory of mind (ToM) and emotion recognition. In this meta-analysis of 24 studies, facial emotion recognition and ToM performances of 989 patients with MS and 836 healthy controls were compared. MS was associated with significant impairments with medium effect sizes in ToM (d = 0.57) and facial emotion recognition (d = 0.61). Among individual emotions recognition of fear and anger were particularly impaired. The severity of social cognitive deficits was significantly associated with non-social cognitive impairment. These deficits in social cognition may underpin difficulties in social functioning in MS. However, there is a need for further studies investigating the longitudinal evolution of social cognitive deficits and their neural correlates in MS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Alan Gilbert Building NNF level 3, Carlton South, VIC, 3053, Australia

    Emre Bora, Dennis Velakoulis & Mark Walterfang

  2. 6328 Sok no:38/2, Yali Mahallesi, Karsiyaka, 35550, İzmir, Turkey

    Emre Bora

  3. Department of Neurology, Dokuz Eylul University, Balçova, 35340, İzmir, Turkey

    Serkan Özakbaş

  4. Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3052, Australia

    Mark Walterfang

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  1. Emre Bora
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Correspondence to Emre Bora.

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Authors have no conflicts of interest regarding subject of this manuscript. Dr. Walterfang reports grants from Actelion pharmaceuticals, personal fees from Actelion pharmaceuticals, personal fees from Orphazyme, outside the submitted work; Dr Ozakbas reports non-financial support from Bayer, Novartis, Merck-Serono and Teva.

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Bora, E., Özakbaş, S., Velakoulis, D. et al. Social Cognition in Multiple Sclerosis: a Meta-Analysis. Neuropsychol Rev 26, 160–172 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-016-9320-6

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