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Updated: Oct 17, 2025

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation
Published on: August 26, 2011
Deficits in emotion processing in Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review.
Rogeria Cristina Rangel da Silva1, Raquel Luíza Santos de Carvalho2, Marcia Cristina Nascimento Dourado1
1Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) significantly impacts emotional processing, but research findings are inconsistent. This systematic review highlights the need for clearer understanding of AD's effects on emotion recognition and cognition.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Emotional processing is crucial for social interaction.
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting cognition.
- The impact of AD on emotional processing remains poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the existing literature on how Alzheimer's disease affects emotion processing.
- To clarify the relationship between emotional processing deficits and cognitive function in AD.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted using PRISMA guidelines.
- Databases searched included MEDLINE (PubMed) and Science Citation Index (ISI).
- Keywords included emotion, cognition, and Alzheimer's disease.
Main Results:
- 19 studies met the inclusion criteria from 425 initial articles.
- Visual emotional stimuli were predominantly used in tasks assessing emotional naming, discrimination, and identification.
- Results were contradictory, with some studies showing impaired emotional perception in AD patients and others reporting preserved abilities.
Conclusions:
- Current research on AD and emotion processing is limited and yields conflicting results.
- The relationship between cognitive function and emotional processing in AD is unclear.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the complex interplay between AD, emotion processing, and cognition.
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