Interrelationship between social and nonsocial cognition: A study in stroke patients

INTRODUCTION: Social Cognition (SC) involves the cognitive processes enabling individuals to perceive, interpret, and respond to social information. Stroke often results in deficits in SC and nonsocial cognition (NSC). While cognitive effects have been noted, research on the relationship between SC and NSC remains limited. OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between SC and NSC measures in stroke patients, assessing their dependence or independence. Method: A SC battery and a NSC battery were administered to 19 stroke patients. The SC battery included: International Affective Picture System (IAPS); Facial Expressions of Emotion Stimuli (FEEST); Moving Shapes Paradigm (MSP); Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test-Revised Version (RMET); and Social Decision-Making Task (SDMT). NSC battery included Digit Span Forward (DSF) and Backward (DSB); Trail Making Test (Part A); Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT); Letter-Number Sequencing (LNS); and verbal fluency test (PMR). RESULTS: MSP, IAPS, FEEST, and RMET showed significant correlations with working memory measures. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a bifactorial structure grouping both cognitions independently with a convergence point on an executive function measure (LNS). CONCLUSION: Stroke subjects' performance on SC measures is partially linked to working memory (LNS), suggesting both domains are distinct yet interrelated.