Social cognition in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1: specific or secondary impairment?

The aim of the present study is to explore whether affective and cognitive social cognition impairment is present in DM1 and to what extent this is related to the overall cognitive condition. This study included a total of 38 patients with Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1) (19 women and 19 men) who were consecutively attending the Neuromuscular Unit of the Neurology Service at Donostia University Hospital and who agreed to participate in this study. A control group of 38 subjects was recruited, paired in age (maximum allowed deviation ±5 years) and gender with the patient group. This group was composed of non-affected relatives of patients and healthy volunteers. The following tests were used to assess subjects in this study: - Social cognition tasks: the Pictures of Facial Affect test (POFA), The Strange Stories test, The Faux Pas test and the Cognitive and Affective Empathy Questionnaire Test (TECA). - General cognitive functioning assessment: Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test and digit span subtest from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III). - Muscular impairment severity: Muscular Impairment Rating Scale (MIRS)