Acquired mind-blindness following frontal lobe surgery? A single case study of impaired 'theory of mind' in a patient treated with stereotactic anterior capsulotomy.
Social insight, specifically the ability to represent thoughts and feelings ('theory of mind'), may have a circumscribed and dedicated neurological substrate. Evidence of deficits in 'theory of mind' following acquired lesions would support this idea. Previous studies of lesions resulting from stroke or head injury have been hampered by lack of detailed lesion information and pre-lesion documentation. We report the case of a 76-year-old man who, following a standard surgical procedure to treat bipolar affective disorder, showed evidence of impaired 'theory of mind'. This case, which is the first of its type, may contribute to the search for the brain basis of social insight.
Happé
F
F
SGDP Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College, 111 Denmark Hill, SE5 8AF, London, UK. f.happe@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Malhi
G S
GS
Checkley
S
S
D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000150:complications; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011603:Psychophysiology; D012938:Social Perception; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology