Although the majority of research in theory of
mind (TOM) has focused on young children or individuals
with autism, recent investigations have begun to look at
TOM throughout the lifespan and in other neurological and
psychiatric populations. Some have suggested that TOM may
represent a dissociable, modular brain system that is related
to, but separable, from other brain functions including
executive functions (EF). Recently, studies have shown
that TOM performance can be compromised following an acquired
brain insult (e.g, damage to the right hemisphere). However,
the relationship of such impaired TOM performance to other
brain functions in these cases has not been explored. This
study investigated the effects of both normal human aging
and Parkinson's disease on TOM. The relationship of
TOM performance and EF in these groups was also examined.
The results suggested that although TOM performance appeared
compromised in the group of individuals with Parkinson's
disease, the elderly control participants were relatively
unimpaired relative to younger individuals. Significant
relationships between several measures of TOM and EF were
also found. The implications of these findings, and also
the finding that failure on one measure of TOM did not
necessarily predict failure on all measures of TOM, are
discussed. (JINS, 2000, 6, 781–788.)