Social Cognitive Dysfunction Following Pediatric Arterial Ischemic Stroke: Evidence From a Prospective Cohort Study
Nicholas P Ryan1,2,3, Mardee Greenham1, Anne L Gordon4,5
1Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia (N.P.R., M.G., L.C., A.C, L.C., R.W.H., P.M., M.T.M., V.A.).
Stroke
|April 8, 2021
Summary
Children with arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) show deficits in social cognition, including facial emotion recognition and theory of mind (ToM). Larger stroke lesions predict long-term ToM impairment, highlighting the impact of early brain injury on social development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatric Neurology
Background:
- Social cognition develops rapidly during childhood and adolescence.
- The impact of early ischemic brain injury on social cognitive skill acquisition is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) on facial emotion recognition and theory of mind (ToM) in children and adolescents.
- To explore the relationship between acute lesion characteristics and long-term social cognitive outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A prospective longitudinal study of 67 participants (30 children with AIS, 37 controls).
- Assessment of cognitive ToM, facial emotion recognition, and affective ToM.
- Correlation of acute MRI-based lesion characteristics (size, location, arterial territories) with social cognitive abilities.
Main Results:
- Children with AIS performed significantly worse on facial emotion recognition and ToM tasks compared to controls.
- Larger infarcts and involvement of multiple arterial territories predicted poorer ToM.
- Poorer cognitive ToM was linked to less prosocial behavior and more peer problems.
Conclusions:
- Early ischemic brain insult disrupts social cognitive skills in children.
- Acute MRI findings can predict long-term social cognitive outcomes.
- Identifies children at risk for social cognitive dysfunction following AIS.
