Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy Affects Social Understanding Skills

Source: Epilepsia

Summary

Researchers studied how juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) affects a person's ability to understand others' thoughts and feelings, known as theory of mind (ToM). They compared 34 patients with JME to 48 healthy individuals, taking into account factors like age, sex, education, and mental health. Participants completed tests designed to measure their ToM and other cognitive skills.

The study found that individuals with JME scored lower on tests measuring ToM compared to the healthy group. However, when researchers adjusted for other factors like cognitive abilities and mood, the differences in ToM scores between the two groups were no longer significant. This suggests that the challenges JME patients face in understanding others may be linked to broader cognitive and emotional issues rather than a specific problem with social understanding.

This research is important because it highlights that the difficulties in social interactions for people with JME may stem from other underlying issues, rather than a direct impairment in social cognition. However, the study has limitations, such as a small sample size and the need for more research to confirm these findings over time and with more participants. Understanding these connections can help in providing better support for individuals with JME.

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