Theory of mind impairment in patients with behavioural variant fronto-temporal dementia (bv-FTD) increases caregiver burden
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Published on: September 12, 2011
Andrea Brioschi Guevara1, Kristine M Knutson2, Eric M Wassermann2
1Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, VD, Switzerland Behavioral Neurology Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Background:
Theory of mind (ToM), the capacity to infer the intention, beliefs and emotional states of others, is frequently impaired in behavioural variant fronto-temporal dementia patients (bv-FTDp); however, its impact on caregiver burden is unexplored.
Setting:
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health.
Subjects:
bv-FTDp (n = 28), a subgroup of their caregivers (n = 20) and healthy controls (n = 32).
Methods:
we applied a faux-pas (FP) task as a ToM measure in bv-FTDp and healthy controls and the Zarit Burden Interview as a measure of burden in patients' caregivers. Patients underwent structural MRI; we used voxel-based morphometry to examine relationships between regional atrophy and ToM impairment and caregiver burden.
Results:
FP task performance was impaired in bv-FTDp and negatively associated with caregiver burden. Atrophy was found in areas involved in ToM. Caregiver burden increased with greater atrophy in left lateral premotor cortex, a region associated in animal models with the presence of mirror neurons, possibly involved in empathy.
Conclusion:
ToM impairment in bv-FTDp is associated with increased caregiver burden.
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