Cognitive Function and Emotional Possessing in Bilateral Facial Palsy

Condition(s) targeted: Intelligence; Emotion

Phase: N/A

Status: Completed

Sponsored by: Kirsten Elwischger, MD

Official(s) and/or principal investigator(s):
Eduard Auff, Prof., MD, Principal Investigator, Affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna

Based on recent findings that botulinum toxin injections in the cranial muscles might reduce emotional processing (Havas 2011), an increasing number of popular newspaper tabloids are suggesting a negative effect on cognition. The underlying research articles address the "facial feedback hypothesis". The hypothesis indicates that expressive behaviour, including facial mimic expressions influences the subject's brain via feedback. (Alam 2008) Other systemic neurological diseases, e. g of inflammatory origin, may lead to temporary bilateral facial nerve palsy (BF). During recovery process, the palsy usually remits completely. The effect of bilateral facial muscle palsy on cognition and emotional possessing has never been evaluated. The results of this pilot study might provide new information about the effect bilateral facial palsy on emotional processing and cognition and the facial feedback hypothesis. The aim of this controlled pilot study is to assess cognitive function and emotional processing in patients with bilateral facial palsy. In addition, differences in cognitive function and emotional processing in patients with different manifestations of dystonia should be evaluated. According to the facial feedback theory, paralysed mimic muscles might alter emotional processing. Therefore, investigators compare patients with bilateral facial muscle palsy and healthy controls. Investigators expect no influence of facial muscle palsy on cognitive functions in any of the tested groups; the investigators expect a mild impairment of emotional processing only in the patients group with bilateral facial muscle palsy (BEB and BF). In addition, the investigators expect no difference in emotional processing in patients with different manifestations of dystonia (BEB and CD) at remission. There might be a slight difference of emotional processing in patients with different manifestations of dystonia (BEB and CD) at time of prominent facial palsy.

Official title: Pilot Study Assessing Cognitive Function and Emotional Possessing in Patients With Bilateral Facial Palsy

Study design: Observational Model: Case Control, Time Perspective: Prospective

Primary outcome: I-S-T-2000R- (intelligence-structure-test 2000R)

Secondary outcome:

Beck's depression-inventory-II

Apathy Evaluation Scale

Minimum age: 18 Years. Maximum age: 80 Years. Gender(s): Both.

Criteria:

Inclusion Criteria: Patients:

- willing to participate in this pilot trial

- bilateral facial palsy

- age 18-80 years

Control:

- willing to participate in this pilot trial

- age,

- gender and

- education (duration of school attendance) matched

- and/or cervical dystonia

Exclusion Criteria:

- neurological or psychiatric comorbidity

- psychotropic drugs

Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria

Related publications:

Havas DA, Glenberg AM, Gutowski KA, Lucarelli MJ, Davidson RJ. Cosmetic use of botulinum toxin-a affects processing of emotional language. Psychol Sci. 2010 Jul;21(7):895-900. doi: 10.1177/0956797610374742. Epub 2010 Jun 14.

Alam M, Barrett KC, Hodapp RM, Arndt KA. Botulinum toxin and the facial feedback hypothesis: can looking better make you feel happier? J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008 Jun;58(6):1061-72. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2007.10.649. Review.

Hennenlotter A, Dresel C, Castrop F, Ceballos-Baumann AO, Wohlschläger AM, Haslinger B. The link between facial feedback and neural activity within central circuitries of emotion--new insights from botulinum toxin-induced denervation of frown muscles. Cereb Cortex. 2009 Mar;19(3):537-42. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhn104. Epub 2008 Jun 17. Erratum in: Cereb Cortex. 2010 Jan;20(1):253. Baumann, Andres O Ceballos [corrected to Ceballos-Baumann, Andres O].

Starting date: August 2012
Last updated: June 30, 2014