Williams syndrome: reduced orienting to other’s eyes in a hypersocial phenotype

Kleberg, Johan Lundin; Riby, Deborah; Fawcett, Christine; Bjorlin Avdic, Hanna; Frick, Matilda A.; Brocki, Karin C.; Hogstrom, Jens; Serlachius, Eva; Nordgren, Ann; Willfors, Charlotte

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.

Citation

Kleberg, J. L., Riby, D., Fawcett, C., Bjorlin Avdic, H., Frick, M. A., Brocki, K. C., Hogstrom, J., Serlachius, E., Nordgren, A., & Willfors, C. (2023). Williams syndrome: reduced orienting to other’s eyes in a hypersocial phenotype. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53, 2786–2797. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05563-6

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 31, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Apr 20, 2022
• Publication Date: 2023-07
• Deposit Date: May 12, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: May 12, 2022
• Journal: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
• Print ISSN: 0162-3257
• Electronic ISSN: 1573-3432
• Publisher: Springer
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 53
• Pages: 2786–2797
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05563-6
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1208351