Multidimensional Assessment of Social Cognition in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Pilot Study Using a Non-Immersive...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Psychology

Background:

• Social cognition deficits are common after traumatic brain injury (TBI).
• Existing assessments lack naturalistic and integrated approaches.
• Virtual reality offers a novel avenue for evaluating social cognition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of REALSoCog, a virtual reality serious game, for evaluating social cognition in severe TBI.
• To explore the influence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on social cognition in TBI patients.

Main Methods:

• Ten severe TBI patients completed the REALSoCog task and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5.
• A comparison group of 27 healthy controls was utilized.
• Individual patient data were analyzed to explore the impact of PTSD.

Main Results:

• TBI patients exhibited reduced emotional empathy and impaired affective theory of mind.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was identified in 60% of the TBI sample.
• Social-cognitive deficits were more pronounced in TBI patients with suspected PTSD.

Conclusions:

• REALSoCog is a relevant tool for assessing social cognition in severe TBI.
• Objective identification of social-behavioral disturbances in TBI is possible with this method.
• Further research is needed to understand the impact of individual factors like PTSD on social cognition.