[Knowing (or not knowing) their own socio-cognitive abilities].

Abstract

Metacognition, the ability to monitor and regulate one's own cognitive processes, is subject to varying degrees of modification in patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases. The literature suggests the existence of dissociations within metacognitive abilities, with some patients exhibiting, for example, specific impairments in self-assessing their memory (and not other cognitive domains). The specific assessment of metacognition in patients' social-cognitive abilities is underdeveloped, although it has significant implications for both clinical and theoretical purposes. This narrative review aims to (i) list the main tools for assessing metacognition, underlining the presence (or absence) of social cognition items in particular; (ii) highlight the issues involved in this type of assessment, both from a clinical point of view, to support patients and their families, and from a theoretical perspective, concerning advances in cognitive modeling. Recommendations regarding the most appropriate tools for clinical practice are formulated and perspectives are discussed.