Doctor Sheldon Lee Cooper, one of the protagonists of the famous series The Big Bang Theory , is not able to understand others, and that is why he is a peculiar person. He has two doctorates and works as a theoretical physicist, with what we imagine he has a ‘privileged mind’, with an IQ that ruthlessly surpasses the average of mortals. However, Sheldon is unable to understand the intentions or emotions of others, has a hard time relating to people, does not pick up on jokes or sarcasm in conversations, does not know how to lie, and is extremely uncompromising with his routines.
All these are characteristics that usually define people who have Asperger syndrome, a clinical picture that is included within the autism spectrum disorders. Like Sheldon, people who suffer from Asperger’s have what is known as a deficient Theory of Mind, or what is the same, little ability to understand and be able to anticipate the mental states of others, including what others may think, feel, their intentions, emotions and behaviors. They also have problems in the ability to plan and tend to show quite a mental rigidity, showing great anxiety when there are changes in their routines or they have to face unforeseen events. However, most of these people have a normal or even outstanding IQ, as in the case of the character in question, and they may even possess extraordinary talents for music, drawing, calculation or memory.
What we call ‘Theory of Mind’ is a complex concept. According to an article published in the Revista de Neurología in 2007, there would be different levels within that same capacity. Thus, we would include from the simple but fundamental recognition of emotions in the face of the other to the most complex capacities of empathy and morality, passing, among other capacities, to being able to predict what a person will do based on what we know that he believes or understand your emotions reflected in your gaze. According to the authors, it is not that children with Asperger’s syndrome lack Theory of Mind at all and we have it fully developed. Rather, they suggest that it is at the most complex levels of the Theory of Mind that the greatest individual differences can be found in the degree of capacity development.
We know that the age of 4 is a crucial time for the child to develop the ability to represent the minds of others. When that doesn’t happen, you have to try to find out where the fault is. Although various theories have been raised to explain why this syndrome, there are still many unsolved questions. A finding replicated in various studies refers to the altered functioning of certain brain structures and their connections. The prefrontal areas on the right side appear to be particularly important, although other areas of the temporal lobes, the amygdala, the cingulate, and the somatosensory cortex have also been associated in explaining symptoms.
This altered pattern of brain functioning could explain not only the alterations in the Theory of Mind, but also some of the concentration problems that frequently occur when faced with imposed tasks such as in the school environment. As in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder , children with Asperger’s syndrome who concentrate poorly may fail in school despite having completely normal intelligence, requiring specific intervention measures for each symptom.
Marisa Fernández, Senior Neuropsychologist, Unobrain
