The impact of breast cancer on social cognition in female Colombian patients
Abstract Background The high prevalence of female breast cancer is a global health concern. Breast cancer and its treatments have been associated with impairments in general cognition, as well as structural and functional brain changes. Considering the social challenges that some of these patients f...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-12-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-022-01005-1 |
| _version_ | 1811291365319901184 |
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| author | Nicole Palacio Daniela Nicole Romero Andrés Mateo Bernal Daniela González-Rodríguez Daniel Solarte-Bothe María del Pilar García Raúl Murillo Hernando Santamaría-García Sandra Báez |
| author_facet | Nicole Palacio Daniela Nicole Romero Andrés Mateo Bernal Daniela González-Rodríguez Daniel Solarte-Bothe María del Pilar García Raúl Murillo Hernando Santamaría-García Sandra Báez |
| author_sort | Nicole Palacio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The high prevalence of female breast cancer is a global health concern. Breast cancer and its treatments have been associated with impairments in general cognition, as well as structural and functional brain changes. Considering the social challenges that some of these patients face, it is important to understand the socio-emotional effects of breast cancer as well. Nevertheless, the impact of breast cancer on social cognition has remained underexplored. The objective of this study was to assess social cognition domains and other relevant cognitive and emotional variables (executive functions, anxiety, or depression) in females with breast cancer. Methods The participants were 29 female patients diagnosed with breast cancer and 29 female healthy controls. We assessed emotion recognition, theory of mind, empathy, and moral emotions. We also included measures of general cognitive functioning, quality of life, anxiety, and depression. Linear multiple regressions were performed to assess whether the group (patients or controls), GAD-7 scores, emotional and social subscales of EORTC QLQ-C30, and IFS scores predicted the social cognition variables (EET, RMET, MSAT). Results Patients with breast cancer showed impairments in emotion recognition and in affective theory of mind. In addition, patients had lower scores in some executive functions. Only theory of mind between group differences remained significant after Bonferroni correction. Emotion recognition was associated with executive functioning, but anxiety levels were not a significant predictor of the changes in social cognition. Conclusions Social cognition impairments, especially in theory of mind, may be present in breast cancer, which can be relevant to understanding the social challenges that these patients encounter. This could indicate the need for therapeutic interventions to preserve social cognition skills in patients with breast cancer. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T04:28:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0eca00d9ce824fe2a46481e98b55d5c5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-7283 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T04:28:16Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-0eca00d9ce824fe2a46481e98b55d5c52022-12-22T03:02:24ZengBMCBMC Psychology2050-72832022-12-0110111310.1186/s40359-022-01005-1The impact of breast cancer on social cognition in female Colombian patientsNicole Palacio0Daniela Nicole Romero1Andrés Mateo Bernal2Daniela González-Rodríguez3Daniel Solarte-Bothe4María del Pilar García5Raúl Murillo6Hernando Santamaría-García7Sandra Báez8Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Los AndesDepartamento de Psicología, Universidad de Los AndesDepartamento de Psicología, Universidad de Los AndesDepartamento de Psicología, Universidad de Los AndesCentro de Memoria y Cognición Intellectus, Hospital Universitario San IgnacioFacultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad JaverianaCentro Javeriano de Oncología, Hospital Universitario San IgnacioCentro de Memoria y Cognición Intellectus, Hospital Universitario San IgnacioDepartamento de Psicología, Universidad de Los AndesAbstract Background The high prevalence of female breast cancer is a global health concern. Breast cancer and its treatments have been associated with impairments in general cognition, as well as structural and functional brain changes. Considering the social challenges that some of these patients face, it is important to understand the socio-emotional effects of breast cancer as well. Nevertheless, the impact of breast cancer on social cognition has remained underexplored. The objective of this study was to assess social cognition domains and other relevant cognitive and emotional variables (executive functions, anxiety, or depression) in females with breast cancer. Methods The participants were 29 female patients diagnosed with breast cancer and 29 female healthy controls. We assessed emotion recognition, theory of mind, empathy, and moral emotions. We also included measures of general cognitive functioning, quality of life, anxiety, and depression. Linear multiple regressions were performed to assess whether the group (patients or controls), GAD-7 scores, emotional and social subscales of EORTC QLQ-C30, and IFS scores predicted the social cognition variables (EET, RMET, MSAT). Results Patients with breast cancer showed impairments in emotion recognition and in affective theory of mind. In addition, patients had lower scores in some executive functions. Only theory of mind between group differences remained significant after Bonferroni correction. Emotion recognition was associated with executive functioning, but anxiety levels were not a significant predictor of the changes in social cognition. Conclusions Social cognition impairments, especially in theory of mind, may be present in breast cancer, which can be relevant to understanding the social challenges that these patients encounter. This could indicate the need for therapeutic interventions to preserve social cognition skills in patients with breast cancer.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-022-01005-1Breast cancerCancerEmotion recognitionExecutive functionsSocial cognitionTheory of mind |
| spellingShingle | Nicole Palacio Daniela Nicole Romero Andrés Mateo Bernal Daniela González-Rodríguez Daniel Solarte-Bothe María del Pilar García Raúl Murillo Hernando Santamaría-García Sandra Báez The impact of breast cancer on social cognition in female Colombian patients BMC Psychology Breast cancer Cancer Emotion recognition Executive functions Social cognition Theory of mind |
| title | The impact of breast cancer on social cognition in female Colombian patients |
| title_full | The impact of breast cancer on social cognition in female Colombian patients |
| title_fullStr | The impact of breast cancer on social cognition in female Colombian patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of breast cancer on social cognition in female Colombian patients |
| title_short | The impact of breast cancer on social cognition in female Colombian patients |
| title_sort | impact of breast cancer on social cognition in female colombian patients |
| topic | Breast cancer Cancer Emotion recognition Executive functions Social cognition Theory of mind |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-022-01005-1 |
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