Socio-cognitive processes in mild-moderate depression.

Background: Social cognition (SC), the ability to interpret and respond to social situations appropriately, is essential for effective interpersonal functioning. Challenges in these areas are a core feature of depression. Evidence shows mixed findings regarding the extent and presence of these deficits in depression, especially in its milder forms. SC comprises key processes such as the theory of mind (ToM), attribution style, emotion, and social perception. In addition to exploring emotion perception (EP) ability through faces and vocal stimuli, music has recently emerged as a valuable tool in studying EP, given the effectiveness of music intervention in improving mood and overall emotional functioning in patients with depression. Aim: This study aimed to explore social cognition abilities in patients with mild-moderate major depressive disorder (MDD) and investigate the relationship between SC and neurocognition in depression. Methods: Nineteen patients diagnosed with mild-moderate MDD and eighteen age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy controls (HCs) ( Results: Patients with MDD showed significant deficits in first-order ToM (FOT) compared to HCs ( Conclusion: Individuals with mild-moderate depression show reduced FOT ability and emotion scaling of positive emotions on music excerpts. A potential association exists between neurocognitive (attention and EFs) and SC measures.