Parkinson's and the Social Mind: Can Brain Stimulation Help Without Hurting?

Jordan Keane in Health & Wellness August 2025 • 4 min read.

"A new study investigates if deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's can affect social cognitive abilities, offering hope for maintaining social connections."

Parkinson's disease (PD) is known for its motor symptoms like tremors and stiffness, but it also brings cognitive and psychiatric challenges. Individuals with PD may find it hard to recognize emotions, understand what others are thinking (Theory of Mind), affecting daily social interactions. These challenges stem from how Parkinson's impacts the brain's dopamine levels and the connections between different brain regions.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has emerged as a treatment for motor symptoms when medication isn't enough. DBS involves implanting electrodes in the brain, specifically in an area called the subthalamic nucleus (STN). While DBS can improve movement, scientists have been wondering about its effects on cognitive functions, especially social skills. Some studies have reported cognitive difficulties after DBS, but the research has been inconsistent and sometimes contradictory.

A recent study published in Scientific Reports sheds light on how DBS of the STN impacts social cognitive abilities in Parkinson's patients. Researchers aimed to expand the scope of previous investigations by simultaneously examining emotion recognition, affective ToM (understanding emotions), and cognitive ToM (understanding beliefs and intentions). By exploring these various aspects of social intelligence, the study provides a more holistic view of the impact of DBS on the social mind.

Does Deep Brain Stimulation Impact Social Skills?

Digital illustration of a brain symbolizing preserved social connections.

The researchers conducted a cross-sectional study comparing three groups: 20 patients with PD on medication, 18 patients with PD treated with STN-DBS, and 20 healthy controls. All participants underwent tests to assess their social cognitive abilities:

The tests included:

Ekman 60-Faces test: Measures the ability to recognize basic emotions from facial expressions.
Reading the Mind in the Eyes test: Assesses affective ToM, the ability to understand others' emotions from their eyes.
Protocol for the Attribution of Communicative Intentions: Evaluates cognitive ToM, the ability to understand intentions in communicative situations.

The team analyzed the results to see if there were significant differences between the groups, particularly focusing on whether STN-DBS had a negative impact on social cognitive functions compared to medication alone.

Reassuring Results: Social Skills Preserved After DBS

The study found no significant differences between the PD groups (those treated with STN-DBS and those on medication alone) on any of the social cognitive tests. This suggests that STN-DBS does not have a detrimental effect on social cognitive abilities in Parkinson's patients. The results indicate that this surgical procedure is safe from the standpoint of social cognition. Importantly, the study highlights the potential for STN-DBS to alleviate motor symptoms without negatively impacting a person’s ability to connect with others.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1038/s41598-017-09737-6, Alternate LINK

Title: Deep Brain Stimulation Of The Subthalamic Nucleus Does Not Negatively Affect Social Cognitive Abilities Of Patients With Parkinson’S Disease

Subject: Multidisciplinary

Journal: Scientific Reports

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Authors: Ivan Enrici, Antonia Mitkova, Lorys Castelli, Michele Lanotte, Leonardo Lopiano, Mauro Adenzato

Published: 2017-08-25

Everything You Need To Know

Beyond motor symptoms, how does Parkinson's disease affect a person's cognitive and social abilities?

Parkinson's disease not only affects motor skills, causing tremors and stiffness, but also impacts cognitive and psychiatric well-being. Specifically, individuals might struggle with recognizing emotions and understanding others' perspectives, referred to as Theory of Mind. These difficulties arise from the disease's effects on dopamine levels in the brain and the connectivity between different brain regions, ultimately affecting daily social interactions.

What is deep brain stimulation (DBS) and how is it used in treating Parkinson's disease?

Deep brain stimulation, or DBS, is a treatment used when medications are not enough to control the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. It involves implanting electrodes in a specific area of the brain known as the subthalamic nucleus, or STN. While DBS primarily targets motor symptoms, there has been ongoing research into its potential effects on cognitive functions, particularly social skills.

What specific tests were used to assess social cognitive abilities in the study's participants?

In this study, researchers used several tests to evaluate the social cognitive abilities of participants. These tests included the Ekman 60-Faces test, which measures the ability to recognize basic emotions from facial expressions; the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test, which assesses affective Theory of Mind (ToM), or the ability to understand emotions from the eyes; and the Protocol for the Attribution of Communicative Intentions, which evaluates cognitive ToM, or the ability to understand intentions in communicative situations.

What were the key findings regarding the impact of STN-DBS on social cognitive functions in Parkinson's patients?

The study revealed that there were no significant differences in social cognitive test results between Parkinson's disease patients treated with STN-DBS and those managed with medication alone. This suggests that STN-DBS does not negatively impact social cognitive abilities in Parkinson's patients, indicating that the surgical procedure is safe from a social cognition perspective. The findings suggest that STN-DBS can potentially alleviate motor symptoms without impairing a person’s capacity to connect with others socially.

What are the next steps in researching the impact of deep brain stimulation (DBS) on cognitive functions in Parkinson's disease?

While this study indicates that STN-DBS does not have a detrimental impact on social cognition, more research is needed to explore its long-term effects and how it interacts with other cognitive domains. Future studies could investigate the effects of DBS on other brain regions and explore personalized approaches to DBS therapy that optimize both motor and cognitive outcomes, ensuring a comprehensive approach to managing Parkinson's disease.