Social thinking and emotion recognition in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Social Cognition in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
This study tests whether French-speaking adults with ALS have problems recognizing facial emotions and vocal tone compared with healthy people.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 74 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University Hospital, Angers Government |
| Locations | 1 site (Angers, Angers) |
| Trial ID | NCT04406675 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Participants will complete standardized neuropsychological tests that measure recognition of facial expressions and vocal prosody to characterize social cognition abilities. The study enrolls French-speaking ALS patients with at least 7 years of education and matched healthy control subjects who can complete cognitive testing and give informed consent. Testing is conducted at the University Hospital of Angers and excludes people with conditions or histories likely to disturb cognition or the ability to perform the tests. Investigators plan to describe how common social cognition deficits are in ALS and how these deficits relate to clinical features to inform patient and caregiver support.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are French-speaking adults with diagnosed ALS, at least 7 years of education, able to complete neuropsychological tests, accompanied, and able to give informed consent.
Not a fit: Patients who cannot perform the tests because of severe motor, speech, sensory, or cognitive impairment, non–French speakers, or those with other conditions that affect cognition are unlikely to benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, results could help tailor caregiver training and communication strategies by identifying common social cognition problems in ALS patients.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has reported social cognition and emotion-recognition deficits in many ALS patients, but studies are relatively scarce and longitudinal findings remain limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Patient Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis : * Education of at least 7 years * Native language: French * Patients Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis * Signature of informed consent to participate in the study * Accompanied patient Control subject : * People without any pathology * Education of at least 7 years * Native language: French * Signature of informed consent to participate in the study Exclusion Criteria: Patient Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and control subject : * Simultaneous participation in another interventional protocol with experimental treatment * Inability to perform cognitive study tests * Pregnant, lactating or parturient women * Persons deprived of their liberty by administrative or judicial decision * Persons under psychiatric care under duress * Persons subject to legal protection measures * Persons out of state to express their consent * People not affiliated or not beneficiaries of a social security scheme * History likely to disturb cognition
Where this trial is running
Angers, Angers
- CHU Angers — Angers, Angers, France (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Cassereau Julien
- Email: jucassereau@chu-angers.fr
- Phone: 0241355615
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.