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A comparison of emotional and cognitive intelligences in people with and without temporal lobe epilepsy
Author(s) -
Walpole Pete,
Isaac Claire L.,
Reynders Hazel J.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
epilepsia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.687
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1528-1167
pISSN - 0013-9580
DOI - 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2008.01655.x
Subject(s) - psychology , temporal lobe , epilepsy , cognition , psychosocial , intelligence quotient , distress , developmental psychology , facial expression , recognition memory , audiology , neuroscience , cognitive psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , medicine , communication
SummaryMedial temporal lobe structures have been hypothesized to be important in emotional intelligence (EI) and social cognition. There is some evidence associating temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with impairments in social cognition. This study aimed to establish whether TLE is also associated with deficits in EI. Sixteen patients with TLE and 14 controls without epilepsy matched for age and current intelligence quotient were compared on measures of EI, recognition of facial expressions of emotion, and distress. Results indicated that patients with TLE showed both impaired EI and impaired recognition of facial expressions. They also reported greater psychological distress, which correlated negatively with EI. It is suggested that some of the psychosocial problems experienced by patients with TLE can be conceptualized as the consequences of deficits in EI, possibly resulting from epilepsy‐related disruption to medial temporal lobe functioning.