Novel instructionless eye tracking tasks identify emotion recognition deficits in frontotemporal dementia

Abstract Background Current tasks measuring social cognition are usually ‘pen and paper’ tasks, have ceiling effects and include complicated test instructions that may be difficult to understand for those with cognitive impairment. We therefore aimed to develop a set of simple, instructionless, quantitative, tasks of emotion recognition using the methodology of eye tracking, with the subsequent aim of assessing their utility in individuals with behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). Methods Using the Eyelink 1000 Plus eye tracker, 18 bvFTD and 22 controls completed tasks of simple and complex emotion recognition that involved viewing four images (one target face (simple) or pair of eyes (complex) and the others non-target) followed by a target emotion word and lastly the original four images alongside the emotion word. A dwell time change score was then calculated as the main outcome measure by subtracting the percentage dwell time for the target image before the emotion word appeared away from the percentage dwell time for the target image after the emotion word appeared. All participants also underwent a standard cognitive battery and volumetric T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Results Analysis using a mixed effects model showed that the average (standard deviation) mean dwell time change score in the target interest area was 35 (27)% for the control group compared with only 4 (18)% for the bvFTD group (p < 0.05) for the simple emotion recognition task, and 15 (26)% for the control group compared with only 2 (18)% for the bvFTD group (p < 0.05) for the complex emotion recognition task. Worse performance in the bvFTD group correlated with atrophy in the right ventromedial prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortices, brain regions previously implicated in social cognition. Conclusions In summary, eye tracking is a viable tool for assessing social cognition in individuals with bvFTD, being well-tolerated and able to overcome some of the problems associated with standard psychometric tasks.

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State-dependent alteration in face emotion recognition in depression

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.bp.110.078139 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 198 (4) ◽

pp. 302-308 ◽

Cited By ~ 65

Author(s):

Ian M. Anderson ◽

Clare Shippen ◽

Gabriella Juhasz ◽

Diana Chase ◽

Emma Thomas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Emotion Recognition ◽

Emotional Processing ◽

Recognition Task ◽

Control Group ◽

State Dependent ◽

Depressed Group ◽

History Of ◽

Remitted Depression ◽

Face Emotion Recognition ◽

History Of Depression

BackgroundNegative biases in emotional processing are well recognised in people who are currently depressed but are less well described in those with a history of depression, where such biases may contribute to vulnerability to relapse.AimsTo compare accuracy, discrimination and bias in face emotion recognition in those with current and remitted depression.MethodThe sample comprised a control group (n = 101), a currently depressed group (n = 30) and a remitted depression group (n = 99). Participants provided valid data after receiving a computerised face emotion recognition task following standardised assessment of diagnosis and mood symptoms.ResultsIn the control group women were more accurate in recognising emotions than men owing to greater discrimination. Among participants with depression, those in remission correctly identified more emotions than controls owing to increased response bias, whereas those currently depressed recognised fewer emotions owing to decreased discrimination. These effects were most marked for anger, fear and sadness but there was no significant emotion × group interaction, and a similar pattern tended to be seen for happiness although not for surprise or disgust. These differences were confined to participants who were antidepressant-free, with those taking antidepressants having similar results to the control group.ConclusionsAbnormalities in face emotion recognition differ between people with current depression and those in remission. Reduced discrimination in depressed participants may reflect withdrawal from the emotions of others, whereas the increased bias in those with a history of depression could contribute to vulnerability to relapse. The normal face emotion recognition seen in those taking medication may relate to the known effects of antidepressants on emotional processing and could contribute to their ability to protect against depressive relapse.

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Affective functioning and social cognition in Noonan syndrome

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291711001115 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 42 (2) ◽

pp. 419-426 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

E. Wingbermühle ◽

J. I. M. Egger ◽

W. M. A. Verhoeven ◽

I. van der Burgt ◽

R. P. C. Kessels

Keyword(s):

Social Cognition ◽

Emotion Recognition ◽

Noonan Syndrome ◽

Heart Defects ◽

Genetic Disorder ◽

Recognition Task ◽

Well Being ◽

Facial Emotion Recognition ◽

Facial Emotion ◽

Clinical Group

BackgroundNoonan syndrome (NS) is a common genetic disorder, characterized by short stature, facial dysmorphia, congenital heart defects and a mildly lowered IQ. Impairments in psychosocial functioning have often been suggested, without, however, systematic investigation in a clinical group. In this study, different aspects of affective processing, social cognition and behaviour, in addition to personal well-being, were assessed in a large group of patients with NS.MethodForty adult patients with NS were compared with 40 healthy controls, matched with respect to age, sex, intelligence and education level. Facial emotion recognition was measured with the Emotion Recognition Task (ERT), alexithymia with both the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Bermond–Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (BVAQ), and mentalizing with the Theory of Mind (ToM) test. The Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90-R) and the Scale for Interpersonal Behaviour (SIB) were used to record aspects of psychological well-being and social interaction.ResultsPatients showed higher levels of cognitive alexithymia than controls. They also experienced more social distress, but the frequency of engaging in social situations did not differ. Facial emotion recognition was only slightly impaired.ConclusionsHigher levels of alexithymia and social discomfort are part of the behavioural phenotype of NS. However, patients with NS have relatively intact perception of emotions in others and unimpaired mentalizing. These results provide insight into the underlying mechanisms of social daily life functioning in this patient group.

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Social functioning and emotion recognition in adults with triple X syndrome

BJPsych Open ◽

10.1192/bjo.2021.8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Maarten Otter ◽

Peter M. L. Crins ◽

Bea C. M. Campforts ◽

Constance T. R. M. Stumpel ◽

Thérèse A. M. J. van Amelsvoort ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Emotion Recognition ◽

Social Functioning ◽

Effect Size ◽

Recognition Task ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Social Responsiveness Scale ◽

Control Group ◽

Social Responsiveness ◽

Adult Behavior ◽

Triple X Syndrome

Background Triple X syndrome (TXS) is caused by aneuploidy of the X chromosome and is associated with impaired social functioning in children; however, its effect on social functioning and emotion recognition in adults is poorly understood. Aims The aim of this study was to investigate social functioning and emotion recognition in adults with TXS. Method This cross-sectional cohort study was designed to compare social functioning and emotion recognition between adults with TXS (n = 34) and an age-matched control group (n = 31). Social functioning was assessed with the Adult Behavior Checklist and Social Responsiveness Scale for Adults. Emotion recognition was assessed with the Emotion Recognition Task in the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Differences were analysed by Mann-Whitney U-test. Results Compared with controls, women with TXS scored higher on the Adult Behavior Checklist, including the Withdrawn scale (P < 0.001, effect size 0.4) and Thought Problems scale (P < 0.001, effect size 0.4); and higher on the Social Responsiveness Scale for Adults, indicating impaired social functioning (P < 0.001, effect size 0.5). In addition, women with TXS performed worse on the Emotion Recognition Task, particularly with respect to recognising sadness (P < 0.005, effect size 0.4), fear (P < 0.01, effect size 0.4) and disgust (P < 0.02, effect size 0.3). Conclusions Our findings indicate that adults with TXS have a higher prevalence of impaired social functioning and emotion recognition. These results highlight the relevance of sex chromosome aneuploidy as a potential model for studying disorders characterised by social impairments such as autism spectrum disorder, particularly among women.

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Training Emotion Recognition Accuracy: Results for Multimodal Expressions and Facial Micro Expressions

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.708867 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Lillian Döllinger ◽

Petri Laukka ◽

Lennart Björn Högman ◽

Tanja Bänziger ◽

Irena Makower ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Emotion Recognition ◽

Training Programs ◽

Recognition Accuracy ◽

Training Session ◽

Memory Task ◽

Recognition Task ◽

Control Group ◽

Central Feature ◽

Audio Video ◽

Micro Expression

Nonverbal emotion recognition accuracy (ERA) is a central feature of successful communication and interaction, and is of importance for many professions. We developed and evaluated two ERA training programs—one focusing on dynamic multimodal expressions (audio, video, audio-video) and one focusing on facial micro expressions. Sixty-seven subjects were randomized to one of two experimental groups (multimodal, micro expression) or an active control group (emotional working memory task). Participants trained once weekly with a brief computerized training program for three consecutive weeks. Pre-post outcome measures consisted of a multimodal ERA task, a micro expression recognition task, and a task about patients' emotional cues. Post measurement took place approximately a week after the last training session. Non-parametric mixed analyses of variance using the Aligned Rank Transform were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the training programs. Results showed that multimodal training was significantly more effective in improving multimodal ERA compared to micro expression training or the control training; and the micro expression training was significantly more effective in improving micro expression ERA compared to the other two training conditions. Both pre-post effects can be interpreted as large. No group differences were found for the outcome measure about recognizing patients' emotion cues. There were no transfer effects of the training programs, meaning that participants only improved significantly for the specific facet of ERA that they had trained on. Further, low baseline ERA was associated with larger ERA improvements. Results are discussed with regard to methodological and conceptual aspects, and practical implications and future directions are explored.

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Neuronal correlates of affective theory of mind in schizophrenia out-patients: evidence for a baseline deficit

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291709992133 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 40 (10) ◽

pp. 1607-1617 ◽

Cited By ~ 46

Author(s):

D. Mier ◽

C. Sauer ◽

S. Lis ◽

C. Esslinger ◽

J. Wilhelm ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Cognition ◽

Theory Of Mind ◽

Emotion Recognition ◽

Facial Expressions ◽

Social Cognitive ◽

Region Of Interest ◽

Functional Brain Imaging ◽

Control Group ◽

Imaging Data ◽

Schizophrenia Group

BackgroundSchizophrenia out-patients have deficits in affective theory of mind (ToM) but also on more basal levels of social cognition, such as the processing of neutral and emotional expressions. These deficits are associated with changes in brain activation in the amygdala and the superior temporal sulcus (STS). However, until now there have been no studies that examined these different levels of social cognition and their neurobiological underpinnings in patients within one design.MethodSixteen medicated schizophrenia out-patients and 16 matched healthy controls were studied with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a social cognition task that allows the investigation of affective ToM (aToM), emotion recognition and the processing of neutral facial expressions.ResultsPatients showed a deficit in emotion recognition and a more prominent deficit in aToM. The performance in aToM and in emotion recognition was correlated in the control group but not in the schizophrenia group. Region-of-interest analysis of functional brain imaging data revealed no difference between groups during aToM, but a hyperactivation in the schizophrenia group in the left amygdala and right STS during emotion recognition and the processing of neutral facial expressions.ConclusionsThe results indicate that schizophrenia out-patients have deficits at several levels of social cognition and provide the first evidence that deficits on higher-order social cognitive processes in schizophrenia may be traced back to an aberrant processing of faces per se.

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Apathy Associated With Impaired Recognition of Happy Facial Expressions in Huntington’s Disease

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society ◽

10.1017/s1355617718001224 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 25 (05) ◽

pp. 453-461 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Katherine Osborne-Crowley ◽

Sophie C. Andrews ◽

Izelle Labuschagne ◽

Akshay Nair ◽

Rachael Scahill ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Huntington's Disease ◽

Emotion Recognition ◽

Huntington’S Disease ◽

Facial Expressions ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Recognition Task ◽

Control Group ◽

Short Version ◽

Disease Rating ◽

Patient Groups

AbstractObjectives: Previous research has demonstrated an association between emotion recognition and apathy in several neurological conditions involving fronto-striatal pathology, including Parkinson’s disease and brain injury. In line with these findings, we aimed to determine whether apathetic participants with early Huntington’s disease (HD) were more impaired on an emotion recognition task compared to non-apathetic participants and healthy controls. Methods: We included 43 participants from the TRACK-HD study who reported apathy on the Problem Behaviours Assessment – short version (PBA-S), 67 participants who reported no apathy, and 107 controls matched for age, sex, and level of education. During their baseline TRACK-HD visit, participants completed a battery of cognitive and psychological tests including an emotion recognition task, the Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale (HADS) and were assessed on the PBA-S. Results: Compared to the non-apathetic group and the control group, the apathetic group were impaired on the recognition of happy facial expressions, after controlling for depression symptomology on the HADS and general disease progression (Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale total motor score). This was despite no difference between the apathetic and non-apathetic group on overall cognitive functioning assessed by a cognitive composite score. Conclusions: Impairment of the recognition of happy expressions may be part of the clinical picture of apathy in HD. While shared reliance on frontostriatal pathways may broadly explain associations between emotion recognition and apathy found across several patient groups, further work is needed to determine what relationships exist between recognition of specific emotions, distinct subtypes of apathy and underlying neuropathology. (JINS, 2019, 25, 453–461)

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Family Alliance in Infancy and Toddlerhood Predicts Social Cognition in Adolescence

Journal of Child and Family Studies ◽

10.1007/s10826-021-02110-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hervé Tissot ◽

Noémie Lapalus ◽

France Frascarolo ◽

Jean-Nicolas Despland ◽

Nicolas Favez

Keyword(s):

Early Childhood ◽

Social Cognition ◽

Emotion Recognition ◽

Family Relationships ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Recognition Task ◽

Emotional Expressions ◽

Mutual Support ◽

Growth Curve Models ◽

Early Family

AbstractInfants developing in a cooperative family alliance (FA), characterized by cohesion and mutual support between family members observable during mother–father–child interactions, will likely experience more affect sharing and empathy early in life. Previous studies showed that these experiences might have a positive impact on the development of social cognition, as the development of FA from 3 to 18 months was shown to predict theory of mind (ToM) competences at age 4.5. This study aimed to extend these results to adolescence, as we hypothesized that higher FA in the postpartum would be linked better social cognition skills at age 15 years. We assessed FA during mother–father–child interactions at 3, 9, and 18 months postpartum (N = 49) and adolescents’ social cognition skills in a computerized emotion recognition task at age 15 years. Results of growth curve models showed that the stable, but not the changing, components of FA from 3 to 18 months, predicted better emotion recognition—particularly for positive emotional expressions—at age 15 years, when controlling for ToM at age 4.5 years. Results are discussed in light of prior research on the links between early family relationships and children’s development from early childhood to adolescence.

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Tryptophan-enriched diet or 5-hydroxytryptophan supplementation given in a randomized controlled trial impacts social cognition on a neural and behavioral level

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-01164-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

V. Zamoscik ◽

S. N. L. Schmidt ◽

R. Bravo ◽

L. Ugartemendia ◽

T. Plieger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Cognition ◽

Emotion Recognition ◽

Information Integration ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Social Cognitive ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Recognition Task ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Supramarginal Gyrus ◽

Age Related

AbstractUnderstanding of emotions and intentions are key processes in social cognition at which serotonin is an important neuromodulator. Its precursor is the essential amino acid tryptophan (TRP). Reduced TRP availability leads to weaker impulse control ability and higher aggression, while TRP supplementation promotes confidence. In a double-blind placebo-controlled fMRI study with 77 healthy adults, we investigated the influence of a 4 week TRP enriched diet and an acute 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) intake on two social-cognitive tasks, a moral evaluation and an emotion recognition task. With 5-HTP, immoral behavior without negative consequences was rated as more reprehensible. Additionally, during story reading, activation in insula and supramarginal gyrus was increased after TRP intake. No significant effects of TRP on emotion recognition were identified for the whole sample. Importantly, emotion recognition ability decreased with age which was for positive emotions compensated by TRP. Since the supramarginal gyrus is associated with empathy, pain and related information integration results could be interpreted as reflecting stricter evaluation of negative behavior due to better integration of information. Improved recognition of positive emotions with TRP in older participants supports the use of a TRP-rich diet to compensate for age related decline in social-cognitive processes.

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The intensity of emotion: Altered motor simulation impairs processing of facial expressions in congenital facial palsy

10.31234/osf.io/fze8c ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Arianna Schiano Lomoriello ◽

Giulio Caperna ◽

Elisa De Stefani ◽

Pier Francesco Ferrari ◽

Paola Sessa

Keyword(s):

Emotion Recognition ◽

Facial Expressions ◽

Recognition Task ◽

Control Group ◽

Emotional Understanding ◽

Moebius Syndrome ◽

Specific Expression ◽

Facial Mimicry ◽

Specific Emotion ◽

Sensorimotor Systems

According to the models of sensorimotor simulation, we recognize others' emotions by subtly mimicking their expressions, which allows us to feel the corresponding emotion via facial feedback. In this contest, facial mimicry, which requires the implicit activation of the motor programs that produce a specific expression, is a crucial phenomenon occurring in emotion recognition, also concerning expression intensity. Consequently, difficulties to produce facial expressions would affect the experience of emotional understanding. In the present investigation, we recruited a sample (N = 11) of patients with Moebius syndrome (MBS), characterized by congenital facial paralysis, and a control group (N = 11) of healthy participants. By leveraging the MBS unique condition, we aimed at investigating the role of facial mimicry and sensorimotor simulation in creating a precise embodied concept of each emotion. The two groups underwent a sensitive facial emotion recognition task, optimally tuned to test sensitivity to emotion intensity and emotion discriminability in terms of their confusability with other emotions. Our study provides evidence of a deficit in recognizing emotions in MBS patients, expressed by a significant decrease in the rating of the intensity of three specific emotion categories, namely sadness, fear and disgust. Moreover, we observed an impairment in detecting these emotions, resulting in a stronger confusability of such emotions with the neutral and the secondary blended emotion. These findings provide support for embodied theories, which hypothesize that sensorimotor systems are involved in the detection and discrimination of emotions.

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