title: Theory of mind and decision-making processes are impaired in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Prefrontal cortex plays a vital role in the theory of mind (ToM) and decision making, as shown in functional brain imaging and lesion studies. Considering the primary neuropathology of Parkinson's disease (PD) involving the frontal lobe system, patients with PD are expected to exhibit deficits in ToM and social decision making. The aim of this study was to investigate affective ToM and decision making in patients with PD and healthy controls (HC) in a task assessing affective ToM (Reading the Mind in the Eyes, RME) and two decision-making tasks (Iowa Gambling Task, IGT; Game of Dice Task, GDT). Consistent with previous findings, patients with PD were impaired in the affective ToM task, and when making decisions under ambiguity and in risk situations. The score of emotion recognition in the RME task was negatively correlated with the severity of the disease and positively correlated with the total number of advantageous cards chosen in the IGT. However, the final capital in the GDT was correlated with memory impairment. The present study implies that affective ToM and decision making under ambiguity may share similar neural mechanisms, while decision making under ambiguity and decision making under risk may involve processing within different neural networks.
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology Laboratory, Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Jixi Road, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China; Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Huaihe Road 390, Hefei 230061, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Chunhua
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Huaihe Road 390, Hefei 230061, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Youling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Huaihe Road 390, Hefei 230061, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Yanfang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroimaging, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Huaihe Road 390, Hefei 230061, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Huaihe Road 390, Hefei 230061, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology Laboratory, Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Jixi Road, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Huaidong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology Laboratory, Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Jixi Road, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Panpan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology Laboratory, Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Jixi Road, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China. Electronic address: ayswallow@126.com.
authors.forename: Chunyan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology Laboratory, Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Jixi Road, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China. Electronic address: wangkai1964@126.com.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012306:Risk; D056345:Theory of Mind
keywords: Cognition; Decision making; Parkinson's disease; Theory of mind