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

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).