Kessler Foundation, University of Bordeaux team up to study emotional processing deficits in MS people

Kessler Foundation received $65,500 as part of a two-year $140,000 grant from the ARSEP Foundation of France to the University of Bordeaux, to launch a collaborative study of emotional processing deficits in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Helen Genova, Ph.D., and Jean Lengenfelder, Ph.D., of Kessler Foundation and Bruno Brochet, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Bordeaux are the principal investigators.

"Reduced social participation is common among people with MS, affecting their relationships at home, in the community and at work," said John DeLuca, Ph.D., senior vice president for Research and Training at Kessler Foundation. "Because disorders of emotional processing may lie at the heart of this problem, we are pleased with this opportunity to join with our colleagues in France to explore this important line of clinical research. It is through international collaboration that we will make more rapid progress toward understanding and treating emotional processing deficits and improving social functioning in this population."

People with deficits in emotional processing have difficulty recognizing and interpreting the facial expressions of six universal emotions: happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise and disgust. This inability to perceive the emotions of others can lead to inappropriate responses, relationship difficulties and social isolation. The study with the University of Bordeaux will examine how emotional processing deficits in MS are associated with social functioning across three levels: society integration and social functioning/participation, marriage/significant other relationships and friendships.