title: Arousal in response to neutral pictures is modified in temporal lobe epilepsy.
abstract: The objectives of the present study were to (i) better characterize visual emotional experience in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), (ii) identify clinical risk factors that might be predictive of a change in emotional experience, and (iii) study the relationships between emotional experience and psychobehavioral/quality-of-life factors. Fifty patients with TLE and fifty matched controls evaluated the emotional content of unpleasant, pleasant, and neutral pictures with respect to their valence (unpleasant-to-pleasant) and arousal (low-to-high) levels. Demographic, cognitive, and psychobehavioral data were recorded for all participants, and clinical data and factors related to quality of life were also collected for patients with TLE. There were no significant differences between the group with TLE and the control group in terms of valence evaluations. However, arousal scores for neutral pictures were significantly higher in patients with TLE than in controls. There was also a nonsignificant trend towards lower arousal scores for pleasant pictures in patients with TLE than in controls. Although none of the recorded clinical factors were found to be related to emotional experience, the level of apathy was predictive of greater arousal experience for neutral pictures in patients with TLE. In conclusion, emotional experience appears to be modified in TLE and might be related to apathy. Changes in emotional experience should be taken into account in studies in which neutral stimuli are used to establish a baseline level when assessing emotional and cognitive processing.
authors: Epilepsy Unit, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Lille University Medical Center, Lille, France; EA 1046 Vascular and Degenerative Cognitive Disorders Research Unit, Lille North of France University, Lille, France. Electronic address: hennion.sophie@gmail.com.
authors: Sophie
authors: S
authors: Hennion
authors: EA 4559 Laboratory of Functional Neurosciences and Pathologies, Lille North of France University, Lille, France.
authors: Henrique
authors: H
authors: Sequeira
authors: EA 4559 Laboratory of Functional Neurosciences and Pathologies, Lille North of France University, Lille, France.
authors: Fabien
authors: F
authors: D'Hondt
authors: Department of Public Health, Lille University Medical Center, Lille, France.
authors: Alain
authors: A
authors: Duhamel
authors: EA 1046 Vascular and Degenerative Cognitive Disorders Research Unit, Lille North of France University, Lille, France; Department of Neuroradiology, Institute of Predictive Medicine and Therapeutic Research, Lille, France.
authors: Renaud
authors: R
authors: Lopes
authors: Epilepsy Unit, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Lille University Medical Center, Lille, France; EA 1046 Vascular and Degenerative Cognitive Disorders Research Unit, Lille North of France University, Lille, France.
authors: Louise
authors: L
authors: Tyvaert
authors: Epilepsy Unit, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Lille University Medical Center, Lille, France; EA 1046 Vascular and Degenerative Cognitive Disorders Research Unit, Lille North of France University, Lille, France.
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Derambure
authors: Epilepsy Unit, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Lille University Medical Center, Lille, France; EA 1046 Vascular and Degenerative Cognitive Disorders Research Unit, Lille North of France University, Lille, France.
authors: William
authors: W
authors: Szurhaj
authors: EA 1046 Vascular and Degenerative Cognitive Disorders Research Unit, Lille North of France University, Lille, France; Memory Resource and Research Centre, Lille University Medical Center, Lille, France.
authors: Xavier
authors: X
authors: Delbeuck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011788:Quality of Life; D012938:Social Perception
keywords: Apathy; Arousal; Emotional experience; Social cognition; Temporal lobe epilepsy