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E u r o S c i C o n C o n f e r e n c e o n
Neurology & Neurological
Disorders
Neurology 2018
J u l y 1 2 - 1 3 , 2 0 1 8
P a r i s , F r a n c e
Page 71
Journal of Neurology and Neuroscience
ISSN: 2171-6625
Objectives:
Social cognition (SC) impairments after traumatic brain injury
(TBI) are pervasive. The movie for the assessment of social cognition
(MASC) measures different facets of social interactions over the three
stages of SC; social perception, social knowledge retrieval and response
selection. The mechanisms underpinning SC deficits after TBI are poorly
understood but aberrant eye fixation patterns could play a role. The present
research explored fixations across social interactions to determine group
differences and correlations between eye tracking and behavioural data.
Design:
Group differences in response selection during the MASC and
fixation duration/count to areas of interest (eyes, nose and mouth) were
examined.
Methods:
18 TBI participants were recruited from the NHS and age/gender
matched controls were recruited using stratified opportunity sampling.
The MASC allows for quantification of incorrect answers; excessive theory
of mind (ToM), reduced ToM and absence of ToM errors. The MASC was
presented on a Tobii T120 eye tracker monitor.
Results:
TBI participants had significantly lower correct scores on the
MASC and higher excessive/reduced errors compared to controls. There
was no significant interaction between automated optical inspection
(AOI) and group. However, significant main effects of group for fixation
duration/count indicated that if AOI was ignored, controls displayed
longer/more fixations overall suggesting a difference in visual scanning
patterns between TBI and control groups. No significant correlations were
established.
Conclusions:
TBI and controls exhibited disparate visual strategies during
the MASC and this effect could underpin some SC impairments displayed
by TBI participants. TBI participants also displayed insufficient and
over-interpretative mental state reasoning compared to controls but it is
unclear why. The present research outlines the multifaceted nature of SC
impairments after TBI and highlights potential areas for SC intervention
post-TBI
Exploring fixation patterns and social cognition after
traumatic brain injury
Leanne Greene
1
, Lynne Barker
1
, John Reidy
1
, Nicholas Morton
2
and
Alistair Atherton
3
1
Sheffield Hallam University, UK
2
Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Trust, UK
3
Sheffield Community Brain Injury Rehabilitation Team, UK
Leanne Greene et al., J Neurol Neurosci 2018, Volume: 9
DOI: 10.21767/2171-6625-C1-009
Biography
Leanne Greene has completed her BSc in Psychology and an MSc in
Applied Cognitive Neuroscience. She is about to complete her PhD on
Social Cognition and Saccadic Eye Scan Patterns in TBI and Control
Groups which is supported by Sheffield Hallam University. She currently
works as an Assistant Psychologist for Rotherham Doncaster and South
Humber NHS Trust in the Neuro Rehabilitation Outreach and Stroke
team. Socioemotional problems post-TBI are often not assessed or
rehabilitated (Kelly, McDonald & Frith, 2016) and Leanne is passionate
about raising awareness of social cognition after TBI in the future
developing contemporary and ecologically valid clinical assessments and
rehabilitation programmes.
l.greene@shu.ac.uk