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Emotions in Multiple Sclerosis

Emotions Recognition in Multiple Sclerosis

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04804787
Acronym
RECODE
Enrollment
101
Registered
2021-03-18
Start date
2021-06-23
Completion date
2025-02-25
Last updated
2025-12-24

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Multiple Sclerosis

Keywords

Multiple sclerosis, Emotions recognition, Cognitive disorders

Brief summary

Through this study, a group composed of multiple sclerosis patients will be compared to a healthy volunteers group to determine if the positive emotions recognitions is preserved in the first group.

Detailed description

Different studies have highlighted the specific deficiency concerning emotions recognition in multiple sclerosis. Patients with multiple sclerosis are reported to have more difficulty recognising negative emotions, especially anger and fear. In this context, RECODE study has a twofold objective: * To determine whether the positive emotions recognition remains preserved by combining behavioural and neurophysiological measures (electrodermal activity). * To study this disorder's etiology through a comparison between a multiple sclerosis patient group and a control group (matched in sex, age, and education's level).

Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TESTCarrying out a tests and questionnaires battery

The attendees will carry out different questionnaires and tests to evaluate their potential cognitive disorders

Sponsors

Lille Catholic University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

1 experimental group composed of patients with multiple sclerosis 1 control group composed of volunteers matched in gender, age, and education's level with the experimental group

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 55 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Male or female between 18 and 55 years old. * Understand and able to express themselves in French. * EXPERIMENTAL GROUP : * Relapsing-remitting form (RRMS) * With an EDSS \< 4 (Expanded Disability Status Scale) * No significant motor, cerebellar or somatosensory disorders of the upper limbs or visual disorders (EDSS specific parameter \<2) * No flare-up in the last 6 weeks * No corticosteroids taken in the last 4 weeks * CONTROL GROUP : * Lack of global cognitive deterioration (according to Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) standards). * Gender, age and education level matching to the multiple sclerosis patients * Understanding and signing the informed consent and information letter regarding participation in the study. * Benefiting from health insurance coverage.

Exclusion criteria

* Persons with previous neurological pathologies, head trauma with loss of consciousness, psychiatric pathologies, serious general affections, perceptive or dysarthric disorders preventing verbal communication or reading, * People with sensory disorders (visual and auditory) that interfere with the performance of neuropsychological tests; * Treatment with psychotropic drugs (except benzodiazepines and hypnotics). * Refusal to participate after clear and fair information about the study. * Major persons under guardianship, under judicial protection, persons deprived of liberty. * Pregnant or breastfeeding women

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Emotion's valenceDay 0Through the emotion recognition test, the attendees will have to evaluate the emotion's valence conveyed by the stimuli on a scale ranging from 1 (the emotion conveyed is negative) to 10 (the emotion conveyed is positive).
Emotion's intensityDay 0Through the emotion recognition test, the attendees will have to evaluate the emotion's intensity conveyed by the stimuli on a scale ranging from 1 (the emotion conveyed is not very intense) to 10 (the emotion conveyed is very intense).
Emotion recognitionDay 0Comparison of the answers obtained to the recognition question In your opinion what is the emotion conveyed by this extract/face in both groupsThrough the emotion recognition test, the attendees will have to evaluate the emotion perceived among 6 basic emotions (anger, disgust, joy, fear, surprise, sadness) and 14 complex emotions (benevolence, disappointment, boredom, enthusiasm, mischief, pride, frustration, shame, hostility, worry, interest, jealousy, sorrow, sneakiness).
Certainty's degree of answersDay 0Certainty's degree of the attendees answers to the recognition question on a scale from 1 (I am not at all certain of my answer) to 10 (I am quite certain of my answer)

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Trail Making testDay 0The Trail Making Test is used to evaluate executive functions especially the cognitive flexibility abilities. The subject's performance is evaluated by the time taken by the subject, the total number of errors and the number of perseveration errors.
Verbal fluency testDat 0The verbal fluency test evaluates executive functions, and more specifically the spontaneous flexibility's abilities. The performance is evaluated by the number of different words cited.
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)At the unique experimental sessionThe Beck Depression Inventory is used to assess depressive disorders. It is a 13-items self-questionnaire rated from 0 (no problem) to 3 (maximum severity of this symptom). The depression's severity is assessed by classifying the total score into 3 levels of intensity: \<3: Normal; 3-8: Borderline; \>8: Depressed.
State Trait Anxiety Inventory Y-A (STAI Y-A)Day 0The STAI Y-A anxiety scale (state anxiety) is used to assess the attendees state anxiety's level. The anxiety's severity is measured by 5 intensity's levels : 35: Very low anxiety; 36-45: Low anxiety; 46-55: Moderate anxiety; 56-65: High anxiety; \> 65: Very high anxiety.
California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT)Day 0Learning test of a 16 words list belonging to 4 distinct semantic categories (flowers, fish, clothes, fruit). The list is presented 5 times to the patient who must remember it immediately after each presentation, after the presentation of a second interfering list and after a 20-minute delay. A main score is extracted determining how many errors are made in each learning task.
Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20)Day 0The TAS-20 is used to assess the attendees alexithymia's level. The alexithymic syndrome's severity is measured in 4 intensity's levels based on responses to 20 items: 0-51: no alexithymia; 52-60: mild alexithymia; \> 60: severe alexithymia.
Dot Probe TaskDay 0Through the Dot Probe Task, it is possible to find out whether participants tend to focus their attention on positive or negative information. The reaction time to complete the task and the accuracy of the response are measured.
Change in the electrodermal response during emotion recognition testDay 0Before the emotion recognition test a first resting measurement of the electrodermal response is performed. Then, the attendee electrodermal response will be recorded during the test for each emotional stimulus. At the end of the test, a second resting measurement of the electrodermal response will be performed. The signals obtained during the task will be compared with the attendee resting signals.
State Trait Anxiety Inventory Y-B (STAI Y-B)Day 0The STAI Y-B anxiety scale (trait anxiety) is used to assess the attendees trait anxiety's level. The anxiety's severity is measured by 5 intensity's levels : 35: Very low anxiety; 36-45: Low anxiety; 46-55: Moderate anxiety; 56-65: High anxiety; \> 65: Very high anxiety.
Brief Visuo-spatial Memory Test (BVMT)Day 0Learning test in episodic visuo-spatial memory of 6 simple geometrical drawings. This test presents 3 presentation phases during which the sheet containing the 6 drawings is presented to the participant for 10 seconds, followed by an immediate recall phase (free hand reproduction of the drawings). A delayed recall phase (at 7 minutes) and a delayed recognition phase (among 12 distractors) is also proposed. A main score is extracted.
Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT)Day 0Coding test in which the patient has 90 seconds to state orally the correspondence of numbers (from 1 to 9) to 9 different symbols (matched according to a matching standard). The correct answers number is measured.
Stroop testDay 0The Stroop test is used to evaluate executive functions, especially inhibition abilities and sensitivity to interference. This test offers 3 situations in which performance is measured by the time taken by the patient for each situation and the number of uncorrected errors.

Countries

France

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026