Citation

van den Berg NS, Huitema RB, Spikman JM, Luijckx GJ, de Haan EHF. Cerebellum 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 129B, P.O. Box 15.915, 1001 NK, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s12311-020-01121-x

PMID

32108305

Abstract

An increasing amount of research has shown a cerebellar involvement in higher order cognitive functions, including emotional processing and decision-making. However, it has not been investigated whether impairments in facial emotion recognition, which could be a marker of impaired emotional experiences, are related to risky decision-making in these patients. Therefore, we aimed to investigate facial emotion recognition and risky decision-making in these patients as well as to investigate a relationship between these constructs. Thirteen patients with a discrete, isolated, cerebellar lesion as a consequence of a stroke were included in the study. Emotion recognition was assessed with the Facial Expressions of Emotions-Stimuli and Test (FEEST). Risk-taking behavior was assessed with the Action Selection Test (AST). Furthermore, 106 matched healthy controls performed the FEEST and 20 matched healthy controls performed the AST. Compared with healthy controls, patients were significantly worse in the recognition of emotional expressions and they took significantly more risks. In addition, a worse ability to recognize fearful facial expressions was strongly related to an increase in risky decisions in the AST. Therefore, we suggest that tests of emotion recognition should be incorporated into the neuropsychological assessment after cerebellar stroke to boost detection and treatment of these impairments in these patients.

Language: en

Keywords

Cerebellar stroke; Cerebellum; Facial emotion recognition; Risky decision-making; Social cognition