Hypomimia is a frequent manifestation in Parkinson's disease (PD) that can affect interpersonal relationships and quality of life. Recent studies have suggested that hypomimia is not only related to motor dysfunction but also to impairment in emotional processing networks. Therefore, we hypothesized that the severity of hypomimia could be associated with performance on a task aimed at assessing facial emotion recognition. In this study, we explored the association between hypomimia, recognition of facial expressions of basic emotions using the Ekman 60 Faces Test (EF), and brain correlates of both hypomimia and performance on the EF. A total of 94 subjects underwent clinical assessments (neurological and neuropsychological examinations), and 56 of them participated in the neuroimaging study. We found significant correlation between hypomimia, EF Disgust (r = −0.242, p = 0.022) and EF Happiness (r = −0.264, p = 0.012); an independent reduction in Cortical Thickness (Cth) in the postcentral gyrus, insula, middle and superior temporal gyri, supramarginal gyrus, banks of the superior temporal sulcus, bilateral fusiform gyri, entorhinal cortex, parahippocampal gyrus, inferior and superior parietal cortex, and right cuneus and precuneus; and multiple correlations between negative emotions such as EF Disgust or EF Anger and a reduced Cth in fronto-temporo-parietal regions. In conclusion, these results suggest that the association between hypomimia and emotion recognition deficits in individuals with PD might be mediated by shared circuits, supporting the concept that hypomimia is not only the result of the dysfunction of motor circuits, but also of higher cognitive functions.

记忆力减退是帕金森病 (PD) 的常见表现，会影响人际关系和生活质量。最近的研究表明，情绪低落不仅与运动功能障碍有关，还与情绪处理网络受损有关。因此，我们假设低语症的严重程度可能与评估面部情绪识别任务的表现有关。在这项研究中，我们探讨了低情商、使用 Ekman 60 面孔测试 (EF) 对基本情绪的面部表情的识别之间的关联，以及低情商和 EF 表现的大脑相关性。共有 94 名受试者接受了临床评估（神经学和神经心理学检查），其中 56 名受试者参与了神经影像学研究。我们发现情绪低落、EF 厌恶（r  = -0.242，p  = 0.022）和 EF 快乐（r  = -0.264，p  = 0.012）之间存在显着相关性；中央后回、岛叶、颞中回和颞上回、边缘上回、颞上沟岸、双侧梭状回、内嗅皮质、海马旁回、顶下皮质和顶上皮质以及右侧皮质厚度（Cth）独立减少楔叶和楔前叶；EF 厌恶或 EF 愤怒等负面情绪与额颞顶叶区域 Cth 降低之间存在多重相关性。总之，这些结果表明，帕金森病患者的情绪低下和情绪识别缺陷之间的关联可能是由共享回路介导的，这支持了低情绪不仅是运动回路功能障碍的结果，而且是高级认知功能的结果。