title: Theory of mind impairment in patients with behavioural variant fronto-temporal dementia (bv-FTD) increases caregiver burden.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Theory of mind (ToM), the capacity to infer the intention, beliefs and emotional states of others, is frequently impaired in behavioural variant fronto-temporal dementia patients (bv-FTDp); however, its impact on caregiver burden is unexplored.
  
  
  METHODS
  National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health.
  
  
  METHODS
  bv-FTDp (n = 28), a subgroup of their caregivers (n = 20) and healthy controls (n = 32).
  
  
  METHODS
  we applied a faux-pas (FP) task as a ToM measure in bv-FTDp and healthy controls and the Zarit Burden Interview as a measure of burden in patients' caregivers. Patients underwent structural MRI; we used voxel-based morphometry to examine relationships between regional atrophy and ToM impairment and caregiver burden.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FP task performance was impaired in bv-FTDp and negatively associated with caregiver burden. Atrophy was found in areas involved in ToM. Caregiver burden increased with greater atrophy in left lateral premotor cortex, a region associated in animal models with the presence of mirror neurons, possibly involved in empathy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ToM impairment in bv-FTDp is associated with increased caregiver burden.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, VD, Switzerland Behavioral Neurology Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brioschi Guevara
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Neurology Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Kristine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Knutson
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Neurology Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Wassermann
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Neurology Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pulaski
authors.affiliation: Brain Injury Research, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, 345 East Superior Street, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Jordan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grafman
authors.affiliation: Molecular Neuroscience Department, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Mail Stop 2A1, Fairfax, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Krueger
mesh_terms: D001284:Atrophy; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D057180:Frontotemporal Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D056345:Theory of Mind
keywords: caregiver burden; faux-pas task; frontal cortex; older people; theory of mind; voxel-based morphometry