Clinical Trial: Emotional Communication Disorders in Cerebellar Disease

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Observational

Official Title: Disorders of Emotional Communication in Patient With Cerebellar Dysfunction

Brief Summary: The cerebellum has been linked to cognitive and emotional functions and there is increasing evidence that damage to posterior portions of the cerebellum can result in frontal-executive, visuospatial, and verbal deficits, including dysprosodia, and affective changes including blunting of affect or disinhibited and inappropriate behavior. Based on preliminary clinical observations and tests performed in the investigator's clinic, disorders of emotional communication may also be associated with cerebellar dysfunction. Emotional communication includes the production and comprehension of facial and prosodic expressions and is critical to maintaining positive and supportive relationships. Deficits in emotional communication can have devastating effects on relationships and on quality of life for those affected. Although deficits in affect and prosody have been reported in association with posterior cerebellar disorders, there are currently no studies systematically investigating emotional communication in individuals with cerebellar dysfunction. It is known that the cerebellum has strong connections with the cerebral cortex, especially the frontal lobes, and that cortical damage from stroke or neurodegenerative disease can result in disorders of emotional communication. Impairments in the integrity of cerebellar-cerebral networks from cerebellar disease may produce similar deficits in emotional communication. The purpose of this study is to systematically investigate and describe deficits in emotional communication in a series of patients with cerebellar disease. Participants will be individuals diagnosed with posterior cerebellar degeneration or damage from a non-hemorrhagic infarction, and age-matched neurologically healthy controls. Assessment will include a battery of tests of neuropsychological function as well as tests of emotional communication. Comprehension of emotional facial and prosodic expressions will be assessed as well as production of emotional communicat

Detailed Summary:

The specific aims of this proposal will investigate the hypothesis that cerebellar damage is associated with emotional communication deficits.

  • Determine whether posterior cerebellar damage results in deficits in the production or comprehension of emotional facial expressions and/or vocal prosodic expressions
  • Determine whether posterior cerebellar damage results in alterations in intensity of reaction to emotionally evocative pictures or emotionally evocative words
  • Investigate the relationship between performance on tests of emotional communication and left versus right cerebellar atrophy with magnetic resonance imaging imaging (MRI) using voxel based morphometry (VBM) analysis

All subjects (cerebellar and control) will be given the following testing in a single session of lasting 3 to 3 and a half hours. Included will be tests to assess reading ability, naming ability, several tests of memory, a test of ability to discriminate between faces, tests of mental flexibility, and standardized questionnaires for depression, anxiety and emotional empathy. The tests include:

  1. Wechsler Test of Adult Reading
  2. Montreal Cognitive Assessment
  3. Beck Depression Inventory - 2
  4. Wisconsin Card Sorting test
  5. Toronto Alexithymia Scale
  6. Multi-Dimensional Emotional Empathy Scale

All subjects will also be given tests assessing emotional communication ability. Tests of recognition and expression of emotional tones of voice and facial expre
Sponsor: University of Florida

Current Primary Outcome: Florida Affect Battery [ Time Frame: baseline ]

Comprehension of emotional facial and prosodic expressions assessed via identification, discrimination and matching tasks.


Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome:

  • Perceptual rating of emotional expression [ Time Frame: baseline ]
    Ability to express emotions by alterations of facial postures and changes in vocal prosody will be assessed imitatively and to-command. The expressions will be recorded and independently rated by three trained judges who will rate the type of facial or prosodic expression and the intensity (0-4).
  • Intensity and valence ratings of emotionally evocative pictures and words [ Time Frame: baseline ]
    Comparison of participant ratings of valence and emotional intensity of words and pictures using items from a database of stimuli with normative ratings for emotional valence and arousal/intensity.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain [ Time Frame: approximately one week post baseline ]
    Neuroimaging data collection will be done using a Philips Achieva 3T scanner (Amsterdam, Netherlands) and a 32-channel SENSE head coil. Imaging collected will include anatomical T1-weighted imaging scans.


Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: University of Florida

Dates:
Date Received: April 3, 2014
Date Started: April 2014
Date Completion:
Last Updated: January 30, 2017
Last Verified: January 2017