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Assessing multimodal emotion recognition in multiple sclerosis with a clinically accessible measure
Jordan D Pumphrey1, Sanghamithra Ramani2, Tamanna Islam3
1University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada; Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada; Neuroscience, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.
Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders
|April 7, 2024
Summary
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) show impaired emotion recognition, a deficit linked to cognitive functions like processing speed. This study highlights the need for social cognition assessments in MS care.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Clinical Psychology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) significantly affects cognitive functions, particularly social cognition, including the ability to recognize emotions.
- Existing research on emotion recognition in MS, especially across multiple modalities, is limited.
- This study addresses the need for clinically relevant tools to assess multimodal emotion recognition in individuals with MS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate multimodal emotion recognition abilities in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) using a clinically available measure.
- To compare emotion recognition performance between people with MS and healthy controls.
- To explore the relationship between emotion recognition and other cognitive functions, mood, and fatigue in MS.
Main Methods:
- Thirty-one individuals with MS and 21 controls completed the Advanced Clinical Solutions Social Perceptions Subtest (ACS-SP).
- Participants also underwent assessments for cognitive function (BICAMS), premorbid functioning, mood, and fatigue.
- Analyses included ANCOVAs to compare groups and correlational analyses to identify potential correlates of emotion recognition.
Main Results:
- The MS group demonstrated significantly poorer performance on the ACS-SP compared to the control group (p = .025).
- In the MS group, emotion recognition was significantly correlated with information processing speed, verbal learning and memory, and visuospatial learning and memory.
- No significant correlations were found between emotion recognition and premorbid functioning, mood, or fatigue in either group.
Conclusions:
- This research is the first to utilize the ACS-SP for assessing emotion recognition in MS.
- The findings indicate that emotion recognition is impaired in MS and is associated with specific cognitive processes.
- The study supports the integration of social cognition measures into routine MS assessments for improved clinical practice.
