title: Theory of mind and social functioning in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to explore the effects of theory of mind (ToM) and related potential risk factors, including cognitive functions, psychiatric status, and seizure-related clinical variables, on social functioning in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-seven patients with intractable TLE who were potential candidates for epilepsy surgery and 30 matched controls were included. All participants completed four tasks measuring different levels of ToM (False Belief, Faux Pas Recognition, Implication Stories, and Visual Cartoon), the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), the Social and Occupational Functioning Scale for Epilepsy (SOFSE), and neuropsychological tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients exhibited impairments in both basic and advanced ToM. Multiple regression analyses revealed the following: (1) the SOFSE total score was significantly predicted by the Faux Pas Recognition (FPR), Global Severity Index (GSI) score of the SCL-90-R, and Full-Scale intelligence quotient (IQ) of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), which accounted for 38%, 11%, and 8% of the variance, respectively; and (2) the FPR was a significant predictor of all SOFSE subscales, whereas the GSI score contributed substantially to the Interpersonal Relationships, Communication, and Occupation subscales of the SOFSE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Advanced ToM, measured by impaired faux pas recognition, is a relatively strong predictor of poor social functioning in surgical candidates for intractable TLE. Identifying ToM impairment may help plan nonpharmacologic treatment for improving social functions in patients with intractable TLE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Han
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yang-Hsin
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiang-Yu
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Der-Jen
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yung-Yang
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shang-Yeong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mau-Sun
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hua
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012919:Social Behavior; D056345:Theory of Mind / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cognitive function; Epilepsy; Social cognition; Social functioning; Theory of mind