Abstract

TABERNERO, María Eugenia  and  POLITIS, Daniel G.. Facial recognition of basic and complex emotions in a population of patients with frontal variant of frontotemporal dementia. Anu. investig. [online]. 2011, vol.18, pp.311-315. ISSN 1851-1686.

The frontal variant of frontotemporal dementia (FTDfv) is characterized by a severe behavioural and personality impairment, explained by alterations in the emotional process and/or in Theory of Mind (ToM). Objective: To assess the cognitive processes involved in performing the Faces Test (Baron-Cohen et al., 1997) in comparison with Reading de Mind in the Eyes Test (RME) (Baron-Cohen et al., 2001), and the utility of both in the diagnosis of ToM alterations in FTDfv patients. Subjects: 20 patients diagnosed with FTDfv, mean age 66,9 years and mean education 6,25 years. Results: Significative correlation between RME and Faces Test. Double dissociation between these tests. Conclusion: The presence of correlations indicates that both tests are affected in this dementia, being both useful as clinical tools. The dissociations founded indicates that each one assesses partially-independent cognitive processes.

Keywords : Frontotemporal dementia; Emotions; Theory of Mind; Faces Test; Reading de Mind in the Eyes Test.

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