title: Investigating the state-like and trait-like characters of social cognition in schizophrenia: a short term follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Controversial findings exist in the literature regarding the state- and trait-like characters of social cognition in schizophrenia. In order to explore the relationship of social cognition with symptom severity in the present study, Theory of mind (ToM) and emotion recognition were tested in an acute phase and later in a clinically stable phase in patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  ToM and emotion recognition abilities were examined by using the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) and the Ekman 60 Faces Test (FEEST) in 43 patients with schizophrenia and 41 healthy controls. Research diagnoses were based on SCID interviews. Symptom severity in patients was assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  ToM and emotion recognition deficits improved in the clinically stable phase compared to relapse, but were still found to be impaired compared to healthy controls. Negative symptom severity showed strong correlation with emotion recognition and ToM at both visits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both ToM and emotion recognition fluctuated together with symptom severity, which confirmed the "state-like" component of these abilities. Our results, taken together with the findings of previous investigations show that social cognition deficits in schizophrenia have both state-like and trait-like components.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Debrecen, Medical and Health Science Center, Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Nóra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Balogh
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Debrecen, Medical and Health Science Center, Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Anikó
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Egerházi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Debrecen, Medical and Health Science Center, Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berecz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest Hungary. Electronic address: csukly.gabor@med.semmelweis-univ.hu.
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Csukly
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018450:Disease Progression; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012938:Social Perception; D056345:Theory of Mind / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Emotion; Follow-up; Schizophrenia; Social cognition; Theory of mind