How can social cognition be improved in neurological patients? a systematic review.
Clinical Snapshot
PICO Framework
| P — Population | Neurological patients (>6 years) with brain or cerebellar lesions including multiple sclerosis, stroke, Parkinson disease, cerebellar ataxia, traumatic brain injuries, or mixed acquired brain injuries |
| I — Intervention | Non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) including training, rehabilitation, or combined interventions delivered face-to-face, online, or hybrid formats |
| C — Comparator | Control groups or pre-intervention baselines (varied across included studies) |
| O — Outcomes | Social cognition improvement, with secondary outcomes including general cognition and relational aspects |
Bottom Line
This systematic review identifies promising non-pharmacological interventions for improving social cognition in neurological patients, but the evidence base remains limited. While 19 different methods showed benefits across 344 patients with various neurological conditions, the heterogeneous study designs and small sample sizes prevent definitive clinical recommendations. The interventions span training, rehabilitation, and combined approaches delivered through multiple formats, suggesting flexibility for clinical implementation. However, the lack of quantitative synthesis, unclear quality assessment, and authors' acknowledgment of insufficient evidence for consensus indicate that these findings should inform further research rather than immediate practice change. Australian clinicians should consider these approaches as experimental adjuncts to standard care while awaiting higher-quality evidence from larger, standardised trials.
Key Findings
P Value: Not reported
Effect Size: Not quantified - qualitative synthesis only
Primary Outcome: Social cognition improvement demonstrated across neurological conditions
Nnt Or Sensitivity: Not calculated - insufficient data for quantitative synthesis
Confidence Interval: Not reported
Clinical Application
Multiple delivery formats (face-to-face, online, hybrid) suggest good feasibility for diverse clinical settings Relevant to Australian neurological rehabilitation services; aligns with NDIA support for cognitive interventions; applicable across public and private sectors Adults and children with acquired neurological conditions including stroke, MS, Parkinson's disease, TBI, and cerebellar disorders
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The neural network underlying social cognition (SC) may be vulnerable to different types of lesions, but also amenable to recovery through interventions that stimulate brain plasticity. This review assessed current non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) and their effects on SC in neurological patients. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Randomized controlled studies, cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, case series, case reports, and literature reviews were included if they reported a precise description of the NPI in subjects older than 6 years, with brain or cerebellar lesion. RESULTS: Among 5.077 screened articles, 17 fulfilled the eligibility criteria. These articles provided 19 face-to-face, online or hybrid methods, involving 344 patients with multiple sclerosis, stroke, Parkinson disease, cerebellar ataxia, traumatic brain injuries or mixed acquired brain injuries. The methods were applied in observational and randomized study designs using group or individual settings, involving SC, general cognition, and relational aspects. These NPIs, classifiable into training, rehabilitation or combined interventions, improved SC in patients with various diagnosis and age. CONCLUSIONS: Results show that NPIs for SC in neurological patients is being addressed with insightful methods and study designs with improvement possibility in children and adults suffering different pathologies. This is not sufficient for thorough consensus but can trigger a range of broader high-quality and interdisciplinary clinical and research applications.
References
- 1.Giovagnoli, A. R., Patrikelis, P., Accolla, C., Bianchi, E., Preti, M., Meneses, R. F., & Giussani, G. (2026). How can social cognition be improved in neurological patients? a systematic review. Neurological Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2017.03.006
Related Research
Sleep medicine reviews
Machine and deep learning in REM sleep behavior disorder: a scoping review and analysis of reporting quality
3 Aug 2026
Neurological research
Federated deep learning model for epilepsy seizure detection using electroencephalogram (EEG) signal
2 Aug 2026
Journal of psychiatric research
Systematic review of machine learning and deep learning models for EEG-based detection of depression.
2 Aug 2026
This content is for educational purposes for healthcare professionals only and does not constitute clinical advice. Clinical decisions should be based on individual patient assessment, current guidelines, and appropriate specialist consultation. Editorial Standards · Privacy Policy · Terms of Service