[Reduced emotional reactivity to negative stimuli in multiple sclerosis, preliminary results]

Charcot first described emotional deficits in multiple sclerosis (MS) in the XIXth century. Despite this early description, there are very few studies about emotions and MS.

This study aimed at better understanding the emotional process in MS and more specifically recognition of facial emotions and emotional experience.

Thirteen women with remittent MS (R-MS), with a mean EDSS score of 2, were compared with thirteen healthy control subjects, matched for age (mean age of 42±2), sex and educational level. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and the brief repeatable battery of neuropsychological tests for MS (BCcogSEP) were administered. Recognition of faces and facial expression of emotion were assessed by the Benton facial recognition test and recognition of facial emotions was assessed by Ekman's facial expression test. We have also presented 12 different sounds and pictures from the International Affective Digitized Sounds and Picture System (IADS and IAPS) in order to study the emotional experience by using criteria of valence and arousal.

No deficit of facial emotion recognition was found in MS in this small population. Nevertheless, patients who had difficulty recognizing faces were the least able to recognize facial expressions. No significant difference was observed between the patient and control group for the experience of emotional valence. However, independently of their mood and cognitive status, the self-assessment of the MS patient population suggested that the patients were less reactive to negative sounds (P=0.005) and negative pictures (P=0.002) as compared with the control group, pointing to lesser sensitivity towards aversive stimuli.

These data suggest disorders in emotional processes in R-MS, mainly a poor reactivity to negative stimuli which may have an impact on everyday life. A larger population should be studied to confirm these modifications of emotion.