Williams Syndrome: Reduced Orienting to Other's Eyes in a Hypersocial Phenotype

Overview

Journal J Autism Dev Disord

Publisher Springer

Date 2022 Apr 21

PMID 35445369

Authors

Johan Lundin Kleberg

Deborah Riby

Christine Fawcett

Hanna Bjorlin Avdic

Matilda A Frick

Karin C Brocki

Jens Hogstrom

Eva Serlachius

Ann Nordgren

Charlotte Willfors

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic condition associated with high sociability, intellectual disability, and social cognitive challenges. Attention to others' eyes is crucial for social understanding. Orienting to, and from other's eyes was studied in WS (n = 37, mean age = 23, age range 9-53). The WS group was compared to a typically developing comparison participants (n = 167) in stratified age groups from infancy to adulthood. Typically developing children and adults were quicker and more likely to orient to eyes than the mouth. This bias was absent in WS. The WS group had reduced peak saccadic velocities, indicating hypo-arousal. The current study indicates reduced orienting to others' eyes in WS, which may affect social interaction skills.

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