Relationship Between the Theory of Mind and the Ability to Change of Perspective in Patients with Relapsing- Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

BRUNO D; ROCA M; PAGANI F; SINAY V

Encuentro; 68th AAN Annual Meeting; 2016

Introduction and Objectives: In recent years, research has reported that at least 65% of MS patients have cognitive defcits, the most prominent being those associated with frontal lobe. Within these defcits is the ability to inferfeelings and thoughts of others (theory of mind). In other research, some authors have suggested that such capacity requires a basic skill that would be the ability to change perspective (a relationship analogous to the relationship between attention and memory). The aim of this study is to evaluate the ability to change perspective in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and determine whether there is any relationship between this and the theory of mind.Methodology: 34 RRMS patients and 39 controls matched for age, sex and educational level were included. Both groups were administered a test designed to assess the ability to change perspective in three domains: personal, temporal and visual. They were also assessed with a battery of tests that included social cognition (Faux-Pass and Eyes).Results: RRMS patients showed signifcant diferences from controls in the performance of the task of changing perspective. Furthermore, this test had signifcant positive correlations with Theory of Mind. Eyes correlated withdiferent types of changing perspective (personal, temporal and visual) and Faux Pas particularly with changing personal perspective.Conclusion: The ුndings described in this study demonstrate that there is a relationship between the ability to change perspective (personal, temporal and visual) and the functions associated with the frontal lobe, particularlythe theory of mind. Patients diagnosed with RRMS showed difculties in the performance of these tasks.