In addition to the physical, cognitive and psychological symptoms experienced by individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), there is new research which indicates that some individuals with MS have a deficit in emotional processing, specifically, facial affect recognition. Emotional processing is defined as "a central aspect of social cognition". Models of social cognition indicate that emotional processing is an essential component of interpersonal relationships. The failure to accurately perceive other's emotions has been shown to lead to difficulty in social relationships, misinterpreting other's affect, and consequently, inappropriate responding. However, even though a significant number of individuals with MS have impairments in emotional processing, we do not yet have an understanding of how these impairments affect the social functioning of individuals with MS, including the impact of these deficits on family structure. It is well-known that MS impacts one's social functioning including factors such as employment, daily living activities and interpersonal relationships. Recently a strong correlation was observed between reduced social participation in MS and quality of life. There is evidence to suggest that emotional processing deficits lie at the heart of this reduced social participation in persons with MS, leading to decreased social functioning and thus reduced quality of life. However, to date, this hypothesis has not been tested.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
91
• Clinical assessment : Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), ambulation test. Medications will be recorded.
• Neuropsychological, psychological, social and social cognitive evaluation
CHU de Bordeaux
Bordeaux, France
CHU de Dijon
Dijon, France
Interaction between measures of emotional processing (z score) and functional measures of social interaction
among the 3 groups (impaired MS, no impaired MS and HS)
Time frame: At inclusion (day 0)
Correlation between measures of emotional processing with cognitive testing (z scores by domain) and cognitive functioning evaluated by significant other
(BAFQ)
Time frame: At inclusion (day 0)
Correlation between measures of emotional processing and quality of life measures
(MUSIQoL questionnaire).
Time frame: At inclusion (day 0)
Impact of the cognitive impairment on the relationship of emotional processing (z score) with interpersonal relationships (family, friendship, marital) and society integration and social functioning.
Time frame: At inclusion (day 0)
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