Social cognition in multiple sclerosis and its subtypes: A meta-analysis

BackgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated demyelinating disease that disrupts several social cognitive abilities, including the theory of mind (ToM) and facial emotion recognition (FER). It unclear how specific ToM subcomponents, affective ToM, are affected in patients with MS abilities subtypes.MethodsA search PubMed, Web Science, Embase databases was conducted until June 2020. Effect sizes were calculated using Hedges g a random-effects model.ResultsA total 45 studies included. Relative to health controls (HCs), its subtypes (including relapsing-remitting [RRMS] progressive MS) exhibited impairments (g = ?0.77, ?0.70, ?0.75, respectively), ?0.72, ?0.83, ?0.73, ?0.84, ?0.63, ?0. 50, FER ?0.62, ?0.53, ?1.07, respectively). In addition, there no difference between primary secondary overall FER. Compared RRMS, showed but had more serious defects -0.57).ConclusionsThese quantitative results indicate have differential impairment core aspects processing FER), which may help develop structured interventions MS.