Citation

Hopkins MJ, Dywan J, Segalowitz SJ. Brain Inj. 2002; 16(3): 245-257.

Affiliation

Community Support and Research Unit, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/02699050110103346

PMID

11874616

Abstract

UNLABELLED: The objective was to determine whether diffuse damage to orbital and ventromedial regions of the prefrontal cortex usually associated with moderate-to-severe closed head injury (CHI) would affect the ability to perceive and respond to socially relevant information. METHODS: Participants with CHI and age-matched non-injured controls were presented with faces that varied with respect to emotional expression while electrodermal activity (EDA) was monitored. Cognitive and general adaptive functioning was also assessed. RESULTS: CHI was associated with a failure to increase EDA in response to negative facial expressions and with reduced ability to identify negative expressions, especially fear. The groups differed on other signs of orbital/medial prefrontal damage such as anosmia and in general social adaptability and awareness-of-deficit as measured by the Brock Adaptive Functioning Questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: CHI affected the ability to identify and respond to negative facial expression. Addressing these deficits may enhance rehabilitative efforts within the social domain.

Language: en