Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41026259›Full record

ArticleActa neurochirurgica2025

Introducing e-Motions: a novel intraoperative test for social cognition mapping. Triple validation in normative, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorder populations.

Jesús Martín-Fernández, Nayra Caballero-Estebaranz, Esteban Félez, Pedro Pérez Del Rosario, Francisco Rodríguez Pulido, Natalia Navarro-Peris, Fernando Martínez, Andrés Cervio, Isabel Martín-Monzón

Abstract readValidation Study
In one paragraph

Article in Acta neurochirurgica, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Jesús Martín-FernándezDepartment of Awake Cognitive Mapping (UNCOG), Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, Tenerife, Spain. jesusmarfdez9@gmail.com.
Nayra Caballero-EstebaranzDepartment of Awake Cognitive Mapping (UNCOG), Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, Tenerife, Spain.
Esteban FélezDepartment of Cognitive-Affective Neurosciences, e-Awake Institute, Tenerife, Spain.
Pedro Pérez Del RosarioDepartment of Awake Cognitive Mapping (UNCOG), Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, Tenerife, Spain.
Francisco Rodríguez PulidoDepartment of Psychiatry, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
Natalia Navarro-PerisDepartment of Awake Cognitive Mapping (UNCOG), Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, Tenerife, Spain.
Fernando MartínezDepartment of Neurosurgery, Hospital de Clínicas, Montevideo, Uruguay.
Andrés CervioDepartment of Neurosurgery, Fleni Institute, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Isabel Martín-MonzónDepartment of Cognitive-Affective Neurosciences, e-Awake Institute, Tenerife, Spain.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSocial cognition is essential for daily functioning, as it influences quality of life, return to work, and interpersonal communication. While schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been the paradigmatic conditions in which social cognition is markedly impaired, emerging evidence suggests that up to 30% patients with brain tumors may experience persistent deficits in this domain. Despite its clinical relevance, social cognition remains insufficiently studied in neuro-oncology and lacks dedicated intraoperative assessment tools specifically tailored for its use during awake brain surgery.

methodThis study introduces e-Motions, a new test designed ad hoc to address this gap. The e-Motions test comprises 34 four-second video stimuli depicting two hyper-realistic avatars (one male, one female) expressing complex emotions. These avatars were developed using an AI-based facial motion capture system applied to 60 professional actors. Validation was performed in three groups: (1) healthy adults (n = 226), (2) individuals with schizophrenia (n = 33), and (3) ASD (n = 30).

resultsInternal consistency (KR-20), test-retest reliability (ICC), and correlations with established social cognition tools (Reading the Mind in the Eyes [RMET], Ekman-60 faces test [Ekman-60F], and the Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition [MASC]) were evaluated. The e-Motions test demonstrated high global internal consistency (KR-20 = 0.86) and good test-retest reliability (ICC₂,₁ = 0.73). Scores showed positive moderate correlations with both lower-level mentalizing tests (RME: ρ = 0.44; Ekman-60F: ρ = 0.48) and higher-level mentalizing test (MASC: ρ = 0.57). Discriminative power was strong for distinguishing healthy participants from individuals with schizophrenia (AUC = 0.89) and ASD (AUC = 0.79).

conclusionse-Motions test is the first AI-based test created ad hoc for awake brain mapping. Its good internal consistency and significant correlation with low-level and high-level mentalizing tests make this tool a novel, ecological and promising way to identify critical regions involved in social cognition during awake brain mapping. Future studies should be performed to demonstrate its validity preserving this complex higher-order cognitive construct during and after brain tumor surgery.

Indexed as

Autism Spectrum DisorderSchizophreniaSchizophrenic PsychologySocial CognitionAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedReproducibility of ResultsYoung AdultArtificial intelligenceAwake mappingConnectomicsEmotionsHigher-order functionsSocial cognition

Identifiers

PMID41026259
PMCPMC12484310

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.