Computerized tool for social cognitive screening (OCS-social)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Improving the diagnosis of problems in social cognition – validation and reliability of the Oxford Cognitive Screen computerized tool for social cognitive screening (OCS-social)
IRAS ID
188801
Contact name
Masud Husain
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Oxford
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Neurological disorders are amongst the most important cause of long-term disability world-wide. In the UK alone there are around 150,000 patients per year who suffer a stroke and there are around 800,000 patients with dementia. Cognitive disorders, affecting attention, language and memory are frequent sequela of neurological damage. However, along with these cognitive problems patients and their caregivers frequently complain about changes in social behaviour following the neurological assault, and they report these social changes as being particularly disruptive for everyday life. These changes in social cognition include deficits in understanding other people’s actions and intentions (Theory of Mind), emotions (empathy), as well the ability to behave appropriately in a given social situation. In some disorders, such as fronto-temporal dementia, these changes can be the most obvious presenting clinical symptom, but deficits within the stroke population have also been reported. Currently, however, social behaviour in neurological populations is not assessed systematically. We know relatively little about how different aspects of social cognition breakdown, whether social changes measured at one time can be used to predict outcome subsequently, and how the changes relate to the underlying brain state.
This project aims to improve the way we measure the kinds of problems in aspects of social cognition people can have after a brain injury. The study aims to provide a novel screening tool using computerized tasks on tablet computers to provide us with measures of aspects of social cognition. The tasks aim to discover if patients with brain injury have a particular social cognitive problem, with the long-term aim being to guide therapy that will attempt to remedy the problem.
The project is funded by the Wellcome Trust and will recruit both patients and healthy volunteers.
REC name
South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/SC/0482
Date of REC Opinion
24 Apr 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion