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Theory of Mind (ToM) is understanding others' minds. Empathy is an insight into emotions and feelings of others. Persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) may experience impairment in ToM and empathy. To investigate ToM, empathy, and their relationship with neuroimaging, neuropsychological, and neuropsychiatric data. 41 pwMS and 41 HC were assessed using RMET for ToM, EQ, BICAMS, HADS. Cortical and subcortical gray matter volumes were calculated with Freesurfer from 3T MRI scans. pwMS showed lower EQ scores (44.82 ± 11.9 vs 51.29 ± 9.18, p = 0.02) and worse RMET performance (22.37 ± 4.09 vs 24,47 ± 2.93, p = 0.011). Anxiety and depression were higher in pwMS. EQ correlated with subcortical (amygdala) and cortical (anterior cingulate) volumes. RMET correlated with cortical volumes (posterior cingulate, lingual). In regression analysis, amygdala volume was the single predictor of empathy performance (p = 0.041). There were no significant correlations between social cognitive tests and general cognition. A weak negative correlation was found between EQ and the level of anxiety (r = -0.342, p = 0.038) The present study indicates that pwMS have impairment on ToM and empathy. The performance of ToM and empathy in MS is linked to the volumes of critical brain areas involved in social cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to examine white matter microstructure and connectivity in individuals with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and their unaffected siblings, relative to healthy controls. Methods: Diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) scans were acquired in 30 patients with OCD, 21 unaffected siblings, and 31 controls. We examined white matter microstructure using measures of fractional anisotropy (FA), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD). Structural networks were examined using network‐based statistic (NBS). Results: Compared to controls, OCD patients showed significantly reduced FA and increased RD in clusters traversing the left forceps minor, inferior fronto‐occipital fasciculus, anterior thalamic radiation, and cingulum. Furthermore, the OCD group displayed significantly weaker connectivity (quantified by the streamline count) compared to controls in the right hemisphere, most notably in edges connecting subcortical structures to temporo‐occipital cortical regions. The sibling group showed intermediate streamline counts, FA and RD values between OCD and healthy control groups in connections found to be abnormal in patients with OCD. However, these reductions did not significantly differ compared to controls. Conclusion: Therefore, siblings of OCD patients display intermediate levels in dMRI measures of microstructure and connectivity, suggesting white matter abnormalities might be related to the familial predisposition for OCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To date, a small number of studies have investigated cortical thickness, cortical surface area, and subcortical volume abnormalities in first-episode, untreated patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The findings of previous studies are not entirely consistent. Previous studies did not match first-episode, untreated patients with MDD to controls regarding body mass index (BMI) and smoking, which could contribute to the inconsistency of results. The aim of the current study was to examine whether morphological abnormalities are present in first-episode and untreated MDD patients in comparison with well-matched controls, particularly concerning BMI and smoking status. Method: Twenty first-episode, untreated patients with MDD were enrolled in the study along with 20 healthy controls (HC) matched for age, education, sex, BMI and smoking status. Thickness and area of the cortex and subcortical volumes were measured using surface-based morphometry implemented with Freesurfer (v5.3.0). Results: There were no significant differences in cortical thickness, surface area, and subcortical volumes between the firstepisode, untreated patients with MDD and HC groups. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that cortical thickness, cortical surface area, and subcortical volumes might be normal in first-episode untreated patients with MDD in comparison with well-matched controls, particularly for BMI and smoking status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to examine the whole-brain white matter connectivity and local topology of reward system nodes in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and unaffected siblings, relative to healthy comparison individuals. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired from 18 patients with AUD, 15 unaffected siblings of AUD patients and 15 healthy controls. Structural networks were examined using network-based statistic and connectomic analysis. Connectomic analysis showed a significant ordered difference in normalized rich club organization (AUD < Siblings < Controls). We also found rank ordered differences (Control > Sibling > AUD) for both nodal clustering coefficient and nodal local efficiency in reward system nodes, particularly left caudate, right putamen and left hippocampus. Network-based statistic analyses showed that AUD group had significantly weaker connectivity than controls in the right hemisphere, mostly in the edges connecting putamen and hippocampus with other brain regions. Our results suggest that reward system network abnormalities, especially in subcortical structures, and impairments in rich-club organization might be related to the familial predisposition for AUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Empathy can be defined as the ability to understand the other’s thoughts and feelings. It contains both cognitive and emotional components. Aims:The aim of this study was to investigate the empathy ability of patients with alcohol dependency in association with cognitive and emotional functions, after acute detoxification and during long-term abstinence. Methods:Thirty-three alcohol dependent inpatients that completed a detoxification process and stayed abstinent throughout the study, and 33 healthy comparison subjects that matched the patients for age, gender, and education level were included in the study. All the participants were administered the Facial Emotion Identification Test (FEIT), Facial Emotion Discrimination Test (FEDT), Trail Making Test (TMT), Digit Span Test (DST), Auditory Consonant Trigram Test (ACT), and Empathy Quotient Scale (EQS). All the tests were repeated after 3 months of abstinence. Results:At the first evaluation conducted after detoxification, patients performed significantly worse than healthy comparisons in almost all tests. At the second evaluation, which was conducted after 3 months of abstinence, the patients improved significantly in all measures, and no significant differences were detected between the patient and comparison groups. There were significant correlations between the test scores and EQS score. Conclusions:Alcohol dependency has deleterious effects on empathy ability, and cognitive and emotional functions. Those impairments can improve with abstinence. Empathy ability has strong relationships with cognitive and emotional functions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]