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Social Cognition in Tourette’s Syndrome: Intact Theory of Mind and Impaired Inhibitory Functioning

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Abstract

Although associations between social cognition involving theory of mind and non-social executive skills have frequently been reported, dissociations in performance have also been found. The present study was designed to examine social and non-social cognition in uncomplicated Tourette Syndrome (TS). Adult TS participants without comorbid diagnoses were compared to matched healthy control participants on social cognition measures involving theory of mind and empathy, and on non-social executive tasks. Participants with TS were found to make more errors than a matched control group on an inhibitory task, but did not differ on other executive measures or on the social cognition measures. The implications of the findings for our understanding of TS and of the relationship between social cognition and executive skills are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK

    Shelley Channon, Elizabeth Sinclair, Denise Waller, Louise Healey & Mary M. Robertson

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  1. Shelley Channon
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  2. Elizabeth Sinclair
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  3. Denise Waller
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  4. Louise Healey
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  5. Mary M. Robertson
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Correspondence to Shelley Channon.

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Channon, S., Sinclair, E., Waller, D. et al. Social Cognition in Tourette’s Syndrome: Intact Theory of Mind and Impaired Inhibitory Functioning. J Autism Dev Disord 34, 669–677 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-004-5287-x

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