Recall and Self-Relevance of Emotional Words Predict Subjective Self-Evaluation of Cognition in Patients with MTLE with or without Depressive Symptoms

Abstract

We examined whether word processing is associated with subjective self-evaluation of cognition in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) as a function of their depressive symptoms. MTLE patients with (MTLE +d, N = 28) or without (MTLE -d, N = 11) depression were compared to pair-matched healthy control participants on free recall and self-relevance ratings of emotionally valenced words. Correlation and hierarchical analyses were conducted to investigate whether the subjective self-evaluation of cognition in MTLE patients is predicted by the negative emotional bias reflected in task performance. MTLE +d patients endorsed as self-relevant fewer positive words and more negative words than the MTLE -d patients and healthy participants. They also self-evaluated their cognition poorer than the MTLE -d patients. Analyses indicated that recall and self-endorsement of emotional words predicted both self-evaluation of cognition as well as epilepsy duration. Our findings indicate that negative self-relevance emotional bias is observed in MTLE patients and is predictive of subjective self-evaluation of cognition. Application of brief behavioral tasks probing emotional functions could be valuable for clinical research and practice in the patients with MTLE.

Cognitive and Behavioral Patterns across Psychiatric Conditions

“…In the study by Preglej and colleagues, patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE), with or without depression, were compared to healthy controls with respect to free recall and self-relevance ratings of emotionally-valenced words. By that, the authors were able to demonstrate that MTLE patients with depression endorse fewer positive words and more negative words as self-relevant, and self-evaluate their cognition as poorer, compared to MTLE patients without depression and healthy controls [ 8 ]. Levi and colleagues followed fluctuations in negative and positive affect, as well as in salivary cortisol, among depressed patients throughout psychotherapy.…”