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Hirai M, Asada K, Kato T, Ikeda T, Hakuno Y, Ikeda A, Matsushima K, Awaya T, Okazaki S, Kato T, Funabiki Y, Murai T, Heike T, Hagiwara M, Yamagata T, Tomiwa K, Kimura R. Comparison of the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 among Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Williams Syndrome in Japan. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:3176-3184. [PMID: 36167887 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05740-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the similarities/differences between the social phenotypes of Williams syndrome (WS) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As cultural norms may affect symptom evaluation, this study administered the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 to Japanese individuals with WS (n = 78, 4.4-44.0 years) and ASD (n = 75, 4.7-55.4 years). The scores for Social Motivation and Social Communication were significantly more severe in the ASD than WS group. Overall, the similarities and differences between the social phenotypes of the syndromes were consistent with the findings of a recent study conducted in the UK, except for the social awareness subscale score. This highlights the importance of cross-cultural investigations of WS and ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Hirai
- Department of Cognitive and Psychological Sciences, Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, 464-8601, Nagoya, Japan.
- Center for Development of Advanced Medical Technology, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan.
- Department of Pediatrics, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan.
| | - Kosuke Asada
- Faculty of Sociology, Toyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeo Kato
- Department of Pediatrics, Shiga Medical Center for Children, Moriyama, Shiga, Japan
| | - Takahiro Ikeda
- Department of Pediatrics, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Yoko Hakuno
- Global Research Institute, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ayaka Ikeda
- Department of Psychology, Senshu University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kanae Matsushima
- Faculty of Rehabilitation, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tomonari Awaya
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shin Okazaki
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Osaka City General Hospital, Osaka, Japan
| | - Toshihiro Kato
- Faculty of Rehabilitation, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yasuko Funabiki
- Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Science, Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Toshiya Murai
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Toshio Heike
- Department of Pediatrics, Hyogo Prefectural Amagasaki General Medical Center, Amagasaki, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Hagiwara
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | | | | | - Ryo Kimura
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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2
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Willfors C, Borg J, Kleberg JL, Hallman A, Van Der Poll M, Lundin Remnélius K, Björlin Avdic H, Bölte S, Nordgren A. Symptoms of autism in Williams syndrome: a transdiagnostic approach. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17583. [PMID: 39080307 PMCID: PMC11289373 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68089-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is associated with atypical social communication and cognition reminiscent of the behaviours observed in autism. Nonetheless, WS also differs significantly from autism, such as regarding social motivation, which is typically enhanced in WS and reduced in autism. This study sought to examine the conditions' transdiagnostic similarities and differences for autistic symptoms and social functioning, and their developmental trajectories, by comparing individuals with WS (n = 24) and those diagnosed with idiopathic autism (n = 24) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; n = 24), aged 9 to 53 years, on measures of autism, social functioning, IQ and cooccurring psychiatric conditions. Although only 12.5% in the WS group met the criteria for an autism diagnosis, a majority exhibited distinct difficulties within social communication, social cognition, repetitive behaviours, and atypical sensory reactivity resembling autism. Conversely, elevated social motivation and a high number of social initiatives accompany these characteristics. No group differences in the developmental trajectories of autism symptoms were found. Our results demonstrate that autistic behaviours are more frequent in individuals with WS, than in individuals with idiopathic ADHD, and emphasize the need for clinical management of these behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Willfors
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Department of Clinical Genetics and Genomics, Karolinska University Laboratory, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Jacqueline Borg
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Cognitive and Computational Neuropsychiatry, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
- Neuropsychiatry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Johan Lundin Kleberg
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Astrid Hallman
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marcus Van Der Poll
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karl Lundin Remnélius
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hanna Björlin Avdic
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sven Bölte
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
- Curtin Autism Research Group, Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Ann Nordgren
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Genetics and Genomics, Karolinska University Laboratory, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Genetics and Genomics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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3
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Genovese AC, Butler MG. Behavioral and Psychiatric Disorders in Syndromic Autism. Brain Sci 2024; 14:343. [PMID: 38671997 PMCID: PMC11048128 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14040343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Syndromic autism refers to autism spectrum disorder diagnosed in the context of a known genetic syndrome. The specific manifestations of any one of these syndromic autisms are related to a clinically defined genetic syndrome that can be traced to certain genes and variants, genetic deletions, or duplications at the chromosome level. The genetic mutations or defects in single genes associated with these genetic disorders result in a significant elevation of risk for developing autism relative to the general population and are related to recurrence with inheritance patterns. Additionally, these syndromes are associated with typical behavioral characteristics or phenotypes as well as an increased risk for specific behavioral or psychiatric disorders and clinical findings. Knowledge of these associations helps guide clinicians in identifying potentially treatable conditions that can help to improve the lives of affected patients and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann C. Genovese
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA;
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4
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Gillooly AE, Riby DM, Durkin K, Rhodes SM. Friendships in Children with Williams Syndrome: Parent and Child Perspectives. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:509-517. [PMID: 36399226 PMCID: PMC10821955 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05807-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Although children with Williams syndrome (WS) are strongly socially motivated, many have friendship difficulties. The parents of 21 children with WS and 20 of the children themselves participated in a semi-structured interview about the children's friendships. Parents reported that their child had difficulties sustaining friendships and low levels of interaction with peers. Barriers to friendships included difficulties with play and self-regulating behaviour. However, there was within-group variability, with a small number of children reported to have strong friendships. While parents reported friendship challenges, all of the children named at least one friend, and most said that they had never felt excluded by their peers. Future research is needed to determine optimal ways to support children with WS in their friendships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda E Gillooly
- School of Health and Wellbeing, Gartnaval Royal Hospital, University of Glasgow, 1055 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G12 0XH, Scotland, UK
- School of Psychological Sciences and Health, University of Strathclyde, 40 George Street, Glasgow, G1 1QE, Scotland, UK
| | - Deborah M Riby
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, England, UK
| | - Kevin Durkin
- School of Psychological Sciences and Health, University of Strathclyde, 40 George Street, Glasgow, G1 1QE, Scotland, UK
| | - Sinéad M Rhodes
- Child Life and Health, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4TS, Scotland, UK.
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Shin E, Renzi D, Canales C, Ravichandran C, McDougle CJ, Thom RP. Buspirone for the treatment of anxiety in Williams syndrome: a retrospective chart review study. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2024; 25:113-120. [PMID: 38247447 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2024.2308678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disorder associated with a high prevalence of anxiety disorders. Evidence-based pharmacologic treatments for anxiety in WS are lacking. The purpose of this study is to provide naturalistic data on the use of buspirone for the treatment of anxiety in WS. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Medical records of 24 individuals with Williams syndrome (ages 7-47 years) and anxiety who received treatment with buspirone were reviewed. Treatment response to buspirone was rated by assigning a retrospective Clinical Global Impression Improvement subscale (CGI-I) score. RESULTS Twenty-three of 24 (96%) patients completed at least a 16-week treatment course with buspirone. Sixteen patients (67%; 95% CI 47%, 82%) were treatment responders (CGI-I ≤ 2). Only 1 (4%) patient discontinued buspirone due to a treatment-emergent side effect (nausea and vomiting). The most common side effect was nausea (13%). Twenty (84%) patients remained on buspirone at the time of their most recent follow-up visit. CONCLUSIONS In this retrospective study, the majority of patients responded to a 16-week course of buspirone. Prospective studies are warranted to further assess the efficacy and tolerability of buspirone for anxiety in WS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Shin
- Lurie Center for Autism, Lexington, MA, USA
- Haverford College, Haverford, PA, USA
| | - Danielle Renzi
- Lurie Center for Autism, Lexington, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Camila Canales
- Lurie Center for Autism, Lexington, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Caitlin Ravichandran
- Lurie Center for Autism, Lexington, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christopher J McDougle
- Lurie Center for Autism, Lexington, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Robyn P Thom
- Lurie Center for Autism, Lexington, MA, USA
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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6
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Jenner LA, Farran EK, Welham A, Jones C, Moss J. The use of eye-tracking technology as a tool to evaluate social cognition in people with an intellectual disability: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Neurodev Disord 2023; 15:42. [PMID: 38044457 PMCID: PMC10694880 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-023-09506-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Relatively little is known about social cognition in people with intellectual disability (ID), and how this may support understanding of co-occurring autism. A limitation of previous research is that traditional social-cognitive tasks place a demand on domain-general cognition and language abilities. These tasks are not suitable for people with ID and lack the sensitivity to detect subtle social-cognitive processes. In autism research, eye-tracking technology has offered an effective method of evaluating social cognition-indicating associations between visual social attention and autism characteristics. The present systematic review synthesised research which has used eye-tracking technology to study social cognition in ID. A meta-analysis was used to explore whether visual attention on socially salient regions (SSRs) of stimuli during these tasks correlated with degree of autism characteristics presented on clinical assessment tools. METHOD Searches were conducted using four databases, research mailing lists, and citation tracking. Following in-depth screening and exclusion of studies with low methodological quality, 49 articles were included in the review. A correlational meta-analysis was run on Pearson's r values obtained from twelve studies, reporting the relationship between visual attention on SSRs and autism characteristics. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Eye-tracking technology was used to measure different social-cognitive abilities across a range of syndromic and non-syndromic ID groups. Restricted scan paths and eye-region avoidance appeared to impact people's ability to make explicit inferences about mental states and social cues. Readiness to attend to social stimuli also varied depending on social content and degree of familiarity. A meta-analysis using a random effects model revealed a significant negative correlation (r = -.28, [95% CI -.47, -.08]) between visual attention on SSRs and autism characteristics across ID groups. Together, these findings highlight how eye-tracking can be used as an accessible tool to measure more subtle social-cognitive processes, which appear to reflect variability in observable behaviour. Further research is needed to be able to explore additional covariates (e.g. ID severity, ADHD, anxiety) which may be related to visual attention on SSRs, to different degrees within syndromic and non-syndromic ID groups, in order to determine the specificity of the association with autism characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- L A Jenner
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Surrey, UK.
| | - E K Farran
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Surrey, UK
| | - A Welham
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - C Jones
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - J Moss
- School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Surrey, UK
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7
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Navarro-Romero A, Galera-López L, Ortiz-Romero P, Llorente-Ovejero A, de Los Reyes-Ramírez L, Bengoetxea de Tena I, Garcia-Elias A, Mas-Stachurska A, Reixachs-Solé M, Pastor A, de la Torre R, Maldonado R, Benito B, Eyras E, Rodríguez-Puertas R, Campuzano V, Ozaita A. Cannabinoid signaling modulation through JZL184 restores key phenotypes of a mouse model for Williams-Beuren syndrome. eLife 2022; 11:72560. [PMID: 36217821 PMCID: PMC9553213 DOI: 10.7554/elife.72560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Williams–Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a rare genetic multisystemic disorder characterized by mild-to-moderate intellectual disability and hypersocial phenotype, while the most life-threatening features are cardiovascular abnormalities. Nowadays, there are no pharmacological treatments to directly ameliorate the main traits of WBS. The endocannabinoid system (ECS), given its relevance for both cognitive and cardiovascular function, could be a potential druggable target in this syndrome. We analyzed the components of the ECS in the complete deletion (CD) mouse model of WBS and assessed the impact of its pharmacological modulation in key phenotypes relevant for WBS. CD mice showed the characteristic hypersociable phenotype with no preference for social novelty and poor short-term object-recognition performance. Brain cannabinoid type-1 receptor (CB1R) in CD male mice showed alterations in density and coupling with no detectable change in main endocannabinoids. Endocannabinoid signaling modulation with subchronic (10 days) JZL184, a selective inhibitor of monoacylglycerol lipase, specifically normalized the social and cognitive phenotype of CD mice. Notably, JZL184 treatment improved cardiovascular function and restored gene expression patterns in cardiac tissue. These results reveal the modulation of the ECS as a promising novel therapeutic approach to improve key phenotypic alterations in WBS. Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a rare disorder that causes hyper-social behavior, intellectual disability, memory problems, and life-threatening overgrowth of the heart. Behavioral therapies can help improve the cognitive and social aspects of the syndrome and surgery is sometimes used to treat the effects on the heart, although often with limited success. However, there are currently no medications available to treat WBS. The endocannabinoid system – which consists of cannabis-like chemical messengers that bind to specific cannabinoid receptor proteins – has been shown to influence cognitive and social behaviors, as well as certain functions of the heart. This has led scientists to suspect that the endocannabinoid system may play a role in WBS, and drugs modifying this network of chemical messengers could help treat the rare condition. To investigate, Navarro-Romero, Galera-López et al. studied mice which had the same genetic deletion found in patients with WBS. Similar to humans, the male mice displayed hyper-social behaviors, had memory deficits and enlarged hearts. Navarro-Romero, Galera-López et al. found that these mutant mice also had differences in the function of the receptor protein cannabinoid type-1 (CB1). The genetically modified mice were then treated with an experimental drug called JZL184 that blocks the breakdown of endocannabinoids which bind to the CB1 receptor. This normalized the number and function of receptors in the brains of the WBS mice, and reduced their social and memory symptoms. The treatment also restored the animals’ heart cells to a more normal size, improved the function of their heart tissue, and led to lower blood pressure. Further experiments revealed that the drug caused the mutant mice to activate many genes in their heart muscle cells to the same level as normal, healthy mice. These findings suggest that JZL184 or other drugs targeting the endocannabinoid system may help ease the symptoms associated with WBS. More studies are needed to test the drug’s effectiveness in humans with this syndrome. Furthermore, the dramatic effect JZL184 has on the heart suggests that it might also help treat high blood pressure or conditions that cause the overgrowth of heart cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Navarro-Romero
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lorena Galera-López
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paula Ortiz-Romero
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, and centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Llorente-Ovejero
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain
| | - Lucía de Los Reyes-Ramírez
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Iker Bengoetxea de Tena
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain
| | - Anna Garcia-Elias
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aleksandra Mas-Stachurska
- Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marina Reixachs-Solé
- EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network at the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.,The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Antoni Pastor
- Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Rafael Maldonado
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.,Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Begoña Benito
- Group of Cardiovascular Experimental and Translational Research (GET-CV), Vascular Biology and Metabolism, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR),, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBER-CV), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eduardo Eyras
- EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network at the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.,The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.,Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Rodríguez-Puertas
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain.,Neurodegenerative Diseases, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
| | - Victoria Campuzano
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, and centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andres Ozaita
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
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Alfieri P, Scibelli F, Montanaro FAM, Caciolo C, Bergonzini P, Dentici ML, Vicari S. A Comparison of Adaptive Functioning Between Children With Duplication 7 Syndrome and Williams-Beuren Syndrome: A Pilot Investigation. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:863909. [PMID: 35599769 PMCID: PMC9120542 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.863909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Interstitial deletions of 7q11.23 cause the well-known Williams-Beuren Syndrome (WBS), while duplication of the same region leads to duplication 7 syndrome (Dup7). Children with WBS share a distinct neurobehavioral phenotype including mild to severe intellectual disability, severely impaired visual spatial abilities, relatively preserved verbal expressive skills, anxiety problems, enhanced social motivation (i.e., hypersociable behaviors) and socio-communicative problems. Children with Dup7 syndrome exhibit some "inverted" features when compared to those of individuals with WBS, such as reduced social motivation and impairment of expressive language. Direct comparison of WBS and Dup7 represents a unique opportunity for the neurobehavioral characterization of the 7q11.23 section. However, most of the available data come from qualitative analysis between different studies. To the best of our knowledge, there are no studies directly comparing features of two matched samples of individuals with WBS and Dup7 syndromes. In this pilot study, we compare the adaptive functioning - measured with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition - of two relatively small samples of children with molecularly confirmed diagnosis of WBS and Dup7 matched for IQ and chronological age, with a particular attention to socialization domain and expressive subdomain. Contrary to our assumption, we have not found any significant difference on socialization domain and expressive subdomains. This pilot investigation suggests that, when matched for chronological age and cognitive level, children with WBS and Dup7 share more similarities than expected. The inverted features that emerge in clinical settings on expressive language and social motivation seem not to differently interfere with the daily abilities to communicate and socialize with meaningful others during daily lives. Differences highlighted by previous undirected comparisons could be due to general and non-specific factors such as cognitive level, which is more severely impaired in individuals with WBS than Dup7. Implications for assessment and treatment are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Alfieri
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Scibelli
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Alice Maria Montanaro
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina Caciolo
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Bergonzini
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Lisa Dentici
- Medical Genetics Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Genetics and Rare Diseases Research Division, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Vicari
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Centro di Riabilitazione Casa San Giuseppe, Opera Don Guanella, Rome, Italy
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9
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A Virtually Delivered Adapted Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Group for Adults With Williams Syndrome and Anxiety. COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIORAL PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2022.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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10
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John TS, Estes A, Begay KK, Munson J, Reiter MA, Dager SR, Kleinhans N. Characterizing Social Functioning in School-Age Children with Sensory Processing Abnormalities. J Autism Dev Disord 2022; 52:1361-1373. [PMID: 33956254 PMCID: PMC8854314 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05050-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Children with sensory abnormalities (SAs) have a variety of social problems resulting in poorer social functioning than children with typical development (TD). We describe the relationship between SAs and social functioning in school-age children with SAs, children with TD and a clinical comparison sample of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children with SAs demonstrated impaired social functioning on standardized measures. Children with SAs demonstrated worse social functioning than children with TD and equivalent social functioning to children with ASD. Increased SAs were associated with poorer social functioning across all groups. The results suggest that children with SAs experience clinically significant problems with social functioning and future research is needed to develop interventions to support social functioning in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- T St John
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- University of Washington Autism Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Center On Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - A Estes
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- University of Washington Autism Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Center On Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - K K Begay
- School of Education, University of Washington, Tacoma, WA, USA
| | - J Munson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - M A Reiter
- San Diego State University/ UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - S R Dager
- Center On Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - N Kleinhans
- Center On Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
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11
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Willfors C, Riby DM, van der Poll M, Ekholm K, Avdic Björlin H, Kleberg JL, Nordgren A. Williams syndrome: on the role of intellectual abilities in anxiety. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2021; 16:472. [PMID: 34743752 PMCID: PMC8573929 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-021-02098-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Individuals with Williams syndrome (WS) have an elevated risk for anxiety disorders throughout the life span, making it a research priority to identify the individual factors associated with anxiety. Most of the existing literature is based on questionnaire data and suggests that impaired executive functions (EF) increase the risk for anxiety in WS. The aim of this study was to use direct measures by trained clinicians to investigate the effects of general intelligence, inhibition, sustained attention, and working memory on anxiety in WS, to further elucidate potential underlying mechanisms. Method Twenty-four individuals with WS participated in the study (mean age: 29 years, range: 9–53 years), together with at least one of their parents. The MINI international neuropsychiatric interview for DSM-5 was completed to establish clinical diagnosis of anxiety, and the Clinical Global Impression Scale – Severity was used for an expert rating of symptom severity. Intellectual abilities were measured using the Wechsler scales, and attention and inhibition using the Conner’s Continuous Performance Test. In addition, a parent-report questionnaire measuring EF, learning and memory was collected. Results In contrast to the apriori hypothesis, there was no significant association between anxiety and core elements of EF such as working memory, sustained attention, and inhibition (i.e. the process of restraining one’s impulses or behaviour). Using ordinal logistic regression analyses, we showed that decreasing intelligence quotient (IQ) and age are associated with elevated anxiety. We confirmed these results in between-groups analyses (anxiety disorder vs no current anxiety disorder), and low IQ was associated with higher risk of having an anxiety diagnosis. In addition, Bayesian statistics gave substantial evidence for no significant association between anxiety and inhibition. Conclusion By using direct measures of psychological pathology and functioning, the current results provide a deeper characterisation of the WS phenotype and provide novel insights into the potential mechanisms underpinning anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Willfors
- Rare Diseases Research Group, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, BioClinicum, J10:20, Visionsgatan 4, 171 64, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Department of Clinical Genetics, Karolinska University Laboratory, Karolinska University Hospital Solna L5:03, 171 64, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Deborah M Riby
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Marcus van der Poll
- Rare Diseases Research Group, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, BioClinicum, J10:20, Visionsgatan 4, 171 64, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Katja Ekholm
- Rare Diseases Research Group, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, BioClinicum, J10:20, Visionsgatan 4, 171 64, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Karolinska University Laboratory, Karolinska University Hospital Solna L5:03, 171 64, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hanna Avdic Björlin
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm Health Care Services, Gävlegatan 22, 113 30, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan Lundin Kleberg
- Rare Diseases Research Group, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, BioClinicum, J10:20, Visionsgatan 4, 171 64, Stockholm, Sweden.,Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm Health Care Services, Gävlegatan 22, 113 30, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ann Nordgren
- Rare Diseases Research Group, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, BioClinicum, J10:20, Visionsgatan 4, 171 64, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Karolinska University Laboratory, Karolinska University Hospital Solna L5:03, 171 64, Stockholm, Sweden
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12
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South M, Hanley M, Normansell-Mossa K, Russell NCC, Cawthorne T, Riby DM. "Intolerance of uncertainty" mediates the relationship between social profile and anxiety in both Williams syndrome and autism. Autism Res 2021; 14:1986-1995. [PMID: 34110083 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety is the most significant mental health concern for both Williams syndrome (WS) and autism. Whilst WS and autism are characterized by some syndrome-specific social differences, less is known about cross-syndrome profiles of anxiety symptoms. Previous research has shown that Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) is a core mechanism of anxiety maintenance for clinically anxious populations and for autistic children, adolescents, and adults. The only published study in this area for WS has shown some similar patterns-with an added emphasis on the role of sensory sensitivities-in a sample of older teens and adults (mean age = 24), with the authors highlighting the need for younger samples to consider developmental influences. Here we report a cross-syndrome, cross-sectional mediation analyses of children diagnosed with WS or autism, including data from parent surveys of 90 children with WS (n = 48) or autism (n = 42). Group differences showed higher trait levels on all measures for the autism group. Importantly, the relationship between social profile and anxiety was fully mediated by IU level for both groups. This suggests possible similar core mechanisms underlying anxiety in these conditions, and the possibility of generalized intervention approaches especially related to managing distress related to uncertainty in multiple contexts. LAY SUMMARY: Autism and Williams Syndrome share some similarities in social profile and also in anxiety traits, but there are also some key differences as well. Comparing them side-by-side at the same time improved identification of ways to reduce feelings of anxiety. We found that the intolerance of uncertainty affected the relationship between social profile and anxiety in the same way for young children diagnosed with autism or Williams syndrome, meaning that intervention approaches could be similar for both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikle South
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA.,Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA.,Centre for Developmental Disorders, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Mary Hanley
- Centre for Developmental Disorders, Durham University, Durham, UK.,Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | | | | | | | - Deborah M Riby
- Centre for Developmental Disorders, Durham University, Durham, UK.,Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK
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13
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Ashworth M, Palikara O, Burchell E, Purser H, Nikolla D, Van Herwegen J. Online and Face-to-Face Performance on Two Cognitive Tasks in Children With Williams Syndrome. Front Psychol 2021; 11:594465. [PMID: 33613354 PMCID: PMC7889503 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.594465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
There has been an increase in cognitive assessment via the Internet, especially since the coronavirus disease 2019 surged the need for remote psychological assessment. This is the first study to investigate the appropriability of conducting cognitive assessments online with children with a neurodevelopmental condition and intellectual disability, namely, Williams syndrome. This study compared Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices (RCPM) and British Picture Vocabulary Scale (BPVS) scores from two different groups of children with WS age 10–11 years who were assessed online (n = 14) or face-to-face (RCPM n = 12; BPVS n = 24). Bayesian t-tests showed that children’s RCPM scores were similar across testing conditions, but suggested BPVS scores were higher for participants assessed online. The differences between task protocols are discussed in line with these findings, as well as the implications for neurodevelopmental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Ashworth
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Olympia Palikara
- Department of Education Studies, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Burchell
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Harry Purser
- Department of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Dritan Nikolla
- Department of Psychology, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom
| | - Jo Van Herwegen
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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14
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Thom RP, Pober BR, McDougle CJ. Psychopharmacology of Williams syndrome: safety, tolerability, and effectiveness. Expert Opin Drug Saf 2021; 20:293-306. [PMID: 33369485 DOI: 10.1080/14740338.2021.1867535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurogenetic disorder characterized by a hyper-social personality, intellectual disability, and multiple medical co-morbidities. Psychiatric co-morbidities are also common. Since medical co-morbidities are common in this population, the risk-benefit of the use of psychiatric medications must be carefully considered and monitoring for safety and tolerability is needed.Areas covered: We review the cognitive profile and common medical co-morbidities in WS. We then discuss the common presentations of psychiatric disorders and review the available evidence on the use of psychiatric medications in WS. No prospective psychiatric medication trials have been conducted. We highlight the side effect profile of common psychiatric medications as they pertain to WS.Expert opinion: Psychiatric disorders can have a major effect on the quality of life of individuals with WS. The lack of long-term safety data and high likelihood of medical co-morbidities in WS make the judicious use of psychiatric medications more challenging; however, they can play an important role in decreasing distress and improving functioning. We provide recommendations for first- and second-line classes of medications based on our clinical experience and consideration of adverse effect profiles, as well as safety monitoring parameters at baseline and periodically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn P Thom
- Lurie Center for Autism, Lexington, MA, USA.,Massachusetts General Hospital, MA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Barbara R Pober
- Massachusetts General Hospital, MA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christopher J McDougle
- Lurie Center for Autism, Lexington, MA, USA.,Massachusetts General Hospital, MA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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15
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Abstract
This study examined age trends in anxious and depressive symptoms, from older adolescence to old age, and explored the association between anxious and depressive symptoms with gender, ASD severity, and socio-economic factors. Two hundred and fifty-five individuals with ASD (151 males, Mage = 33.52 years, SDage = 14.98) took part. More than one-third of participants reported clinically significant anxiety (38.4%) or depression (38%). A slight trend for an increase in the severity of both anxiety and depression from adolescence to middle adulthood, and then a slight decline in older adulthood was found. Female gender and higher ASD severity predicted more anxiety and depression symptoms. Our findings emphasise the need to provide timely assessment and treatment of anxiety and depression in ASD.
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16
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Glod M, Riby DM, Rodgers J. Sensory processing profiles and autistic symptoms as predictive factors in autism spectrum disorder and Williams syndrome. JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH : JIDR 2020; 64:657-665. [PMID: 32400919 DOI: 10.1111/jir.12738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Unusual sensory responses were included in the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet they are also common among individuals with other neurodevelopmental disorders, including Williams syndrome (WS). Cross-syndrome comparisons of sensory atypicalities and the evaluation of their syndrome specificity however have rarely been undertaken. We aimed to (1) examine and compare the sensory profiles in ASD and WS groups and (2) investigate whether autistic symptoms, including sensory processing scores, can predict a group membership. METHODS Parents of 26 children with ASD and intellectual disability, 30 parents of children with ASD (no intellectual disability) and 26 with WS aged between 4 and 16 years were recruited. Parents completed the Sensory Profile to provide information about their children's sensory experiences and the Social Responsiveness Scale - Second Edition (SRS-2) to assess the degree of social impairment in their children. RESULTS No significant differences were found in sensory processing scores between the three groups. Binary logistic regression analyses were undertaken with sensory quadrants and SRS-2 total score as factors. Models significantly predicted group membership, with Low Registration, Sensory Sensitivity and SRS-2 total score being significant predictors. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that high rates of sensory atypicalities are a common neurodevelopmental characteristic that do not reliably distinguish between WS and ASD groups. Low Registration and Sensory Sensitivity-related behaviours might, however, be more specific to ASD. Further work is needed to explore what behaviours within sensory profiles can discriminate between neurodevelopmental disorders and should be included in diagnostic classifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Glod
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Sir James Spence Institute, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - D M Riby
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Science Laboratories, Durham, UK
| | - J Rodgers
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Sir James Spence Institute, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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17
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Ridley E, Riby DM, Leekam SR. A cross-syndrome approach to the social phenotype of neurodevelopmental disorders: Focusing on social vulnerability and social interaction style. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2020; 100:103604. [PMID: 32142968 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Following Annette Karmiloff-Smith's approach to cognitive research, this study applied a cross-syndrome approach to the social phenotype, focusing on social vulnerability (SV) and the factors that contribute to it. AIMS To (i) identify syndrome-specific differences in SV across four neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) groups, (ii) determine the contribution of intellectual disability (ID), age or gender to SV, and (iii) explore its relationship with social interaction style (SIS). METHODS AND PROCEDURES 262 parents of children: Autism (n = 29), Williams syndrome (n = 29), Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (n = 36), Fragile X syndrome (n = 18), and Neurotypical (n = 150) reported on their child's SV, quality of SIS and other factors (ID, age, gender). OUTCOMES AND RESULTS Heightened SV was not syndrome-specific. Instead it was found equally across NDD groups (and not in the neurotypical group), and independently of ID, age and gender. Different atypical SISs were also distributed across NDD groups and each were significantly related to SV, independent of the factors above and beyond neurodevelopmental diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The findings emphasise that social phenotypes are best understood as distributed across diagnostic boundaries and offer opportunities to further test the role of varied atypical SISs in the development of heightened SV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Ridley
- Centre for Developmental Disorders, Department of Psychology, Durham University, Science Site, South Road, Durham, UK.
| | - Deborah M Riby
- Centre for Developmental Disorders, Department of Psychology, Durham University, Science Site, South Road, Durham, UK
| | - Susan R Leekam
- Wales Autism Research Centre, Cardiff University Centre for Human Developmental Science, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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18
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An Examination of Social Skills, Friendship Quality, and Loneliness for Adults with Williams Syndrome. J Autism Dev Disord 2020; 50:3649-3660. [PMID: 32076956 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04416-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with Williams Syndrome (WS) are hypersocial, overfriendly, and experience social skills deficits that may adversely impact their social outcomes. This study examined the relation between social skills, friendship quality, and feelings of loneliness for adults with WS as reported by 114 parent-adult with WS dyads. Results indicate that although most friends do not live close-by, adults with WS have good quality friendships and do not report high feelings of loneliness. Positive friendship qualities were found to partially mediate the relationship between social skills impairments and social feelings of loneliness. Findings indicate that although adults with WS experience social skills deficits and struggle to maintain friendships in their immediate community, they still report positive friendship qualities and low feelings of loneliness.
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19
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Pollak RM, Murphy MM, Epstein MP, Zwick ME, Klaiman C, Saulnier CA, Mulle JG. Neuropsychiatric phenotypes and a distinct constellation of ASD features in 3q29 deletion syndrome: results from the 3q29 registry. Mol Autism 2019; 10:30. [PMID: 31346402 PMCID: PMC6636128 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-019-0281-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The 1.6 Mb 3q29 deletion is associated with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric phenotypes, including increased risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and a 20 to 40-fold increased risk for schizophrenia. However, the phenotypic spectrum of the deletion, particularly with respect to ASD, remains poorly described. Methods We ascertained individuals with 3q29 deletion syndrome (3q29Del, “cases,” n = 93, 58.1% male) and typically developing controls (n = 64, 51.6% male) through the 3q29 registry (https://3q29deletion.patientcrossroads.org). Self-report of neuropsychiatric illness was evaluated for 93 cases. Subsets of participants were evaluated with the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS, n = 48 cases, 56 controls), Social Communication Questionnaire (n = 33 cases, 46 controls), Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (n = 24 cases, 35 controls), and Achenbach Behavior Checklists (n = 48 cases, 57 controls). Results 3q29Del cases report a higher prevalence of autism diagnoses versus the general population (29.0% vs. 1.47%, p < 2.2E− 16). Notably, 3q29 deletion confers a greater influence on risk for ASD in females (OR = 41.8, p = 4.78E− 05) than in males (OR = 24.6, p = 6.06E− 09); this is aligned with the reduced male:female bias from 4:1 in the general population to 2:1 in our study sample. Although 71% of cases do not report a diagnosis of ASD, there is evidence of significant social disability (3q29Del SRS T-score = 71.8, control SRS T-score = 45.9, p = 2.16E− 13). Cases also report increased frequency of generalized anxiety disorder compared to controls (28.0% vs. 6.2%, p = 0.001), which is mirrored by elevated mean scores on the Achenbach diagnostic and statistical manual-oriented sub-scales (p < 0.001). Finally, cases show a distinct constellation of ASD features on the SRS as compared to idiopathic ASD, with substantially elevated Restricted Interests and Repetitive Behaviors, but only mild impairment in Social Motivation. Conclusions Our sample of 3q29Del is significantly enriched for ASD diagnosis, especially among females, and features of autism may be present even when an ASD diagnosis is not reported. Further, the constellation of ASD features in this population is distinct from idiopathic ASD, with substantially less impaired social motivation. Our study implies that ASD evaluation should be the standard of care for individuals with 3q29Del. From a research perspective, the distinct ASD subtype present in 3q29Del is an ideal entry point for expanding understanding of ASD. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13229-019-0281-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M Pollak
- 1Genetics and Molecular Biology, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Melissa M Murphy
- 2Department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Michael P Epstein
- 2Department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Michael E Zwick
- 2Department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, USA.,3Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Cheryl Klaiman
- 3Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, USA.,4Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA
| | - Celine A Saulnier
- 3Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | | | - Jennifer G Mulle
- 2Department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, USA.,5Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, USA.,Whitehead 305M, 615 Michael Street, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
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20
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Ng-Cordell E, Hanley M, Kelly A, Riby DM. Anxiety in Williams Syndrome: The Role of Social Behaviour, Executive Functions and Change Over Time. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 48:796-808. [PMID: 29124472 PMCID: PMC5847160 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3357-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety is a prevalent mental health issue for individuals with Williams syndrome (WS). Relatively little is known about the developmental course of anxiety, or how it links with core features of WS, namely social and executive functioning (EF). In this study, parent-reports of anxiety were compared across a 4-year period (N = 17), and links between anxiety, social and EF were explored from concurrent parent-reports (N = 26). Results indicated that high anxiety persisted over time, and anxiety was related to impairments in both social and executive functioning. Importantly, results indicated that impairments in EFs may drive the links between anxiety and social functioning. This timely investigation provides new insights into anxiety in WS and highlights potential areas for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Ng-Cordell
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK.,Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Mary Hanley
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK. .,Psychology Department, Science Laboratories, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK. .,Centre for Developmental Disorders, Durham University, Durham, UK.
| | - Alyssa Kelly
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Deborah M Riby
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK.,Centre for Developmental Disorders, Durham University, Durham, UK
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21
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Williams syndrome: recent advances in our understanding of cognitive, social and psychological functioning. Curr Opin Psychiatry 2019; 32:60-66. [PMID: 30557270 DOI: 10.1097/yco.0000000000000477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Since the last review of Williams syndrome in Current Opinion (2001) there have been many advances in knowledge about the cognitive, social and psychological impairments that characterize the disorder. The present review focuses on current research in these areas. RECENT FINDINGS Williams syndrome is associated with a wide range of cognitive, linguistic, social and other difficulties. When young, these deficits may appear relatively mild - for example, many children are highly sociable and talkative - but with age the impact of these difficulties becomes more evident. Thus, inappropriate social behaviours can significantly increase the risk of social exclusion and vulnerability to abuse. Their superficially good speech can lead to educational and other services failing to understand the true extent of impairments or the need for specialist support. Mental health problems, especially related to anxiety, often become an increasing challenge from adolescence onwards. SUMMARY The core difficulties associated with Williams syndrome have a cascading effect on many areas of development over time. However, specialist provision is rare and intervention trials are almost nonexistent. Longitudinal research is needed to identify factors associated with cognitive, social and emotional problems and to develop more effective ways of minimizing and treating difficulties.
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22
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Uljarević M, Labuschagne I, Bobin R, Atkinson A, Hocking DR. Brief Report: The Impact of Sensory Hypersensitivity and Intolerance of Uncertainty on Anxiety in Williams Syndrome. J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 48:3958-3964. [PMID: 29948532 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3631-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
This study explored the interrelationship between intolerance of uncertainty, sensory hyper-sensitivity and anxiety in Williams syndrome (WS). Thirty-two parents or guardians of individuals with WS (Mage = 24.76 years, SD = 7.55) were included. Associations between anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty, sensory hyper-sensitivity, and ASD symptoms were assessed. Linear regression analysis revealed that intolerance of uncertainty and sensory hyper-sensitivity were unique independent predictors of anxiety, while social communication score was not. There was evidence of a mediating effect of sensory hyper-sensitivity on the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety. These findings bear strong resemblance to the pattern seen in ASD and emphasize the need for development of anxiety interventions that attempt to reduce negative beliefs about unpredictable situations in WS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirko Uljarević
- Stanford Autism Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Izelle Labuschagne
- School of Psychology, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Rebecca Bobin
- School of Psychology, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Anna Atkinson
- Developmental Neuromotor & Cognition Lab, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Darren R Hocking
- Developmental Neuromotor & Cognition Lab, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.
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23
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Palikara O, Ashworth M, Van Herwegen J. Addressing the Educational Needs of Children with Williams Syndrome: A Rather Neglected Area of Research? J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 48:3256-3259. [PMID: 29651682 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3578-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder associated with physical health problems, limitations in cognitive abilities and increased risk of mental health difficulties. This profile of complex needs may make it challenging to support children with WS in schools. Surprisingly, in the current international move for inclusion, limited research exists on the educational provision and academic achievements of children with WS, including the non-existing literature on their voices and the perspectives of key stakeholders. This letter calls for additional research on the risk and protective factors associated with the educational outcomes of these children, the perspectives of the children themselves and the development of the evidence-base about the effectiveness of education intervention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olympia Palikara
- School of Education, Froebel College, University of Roehampton, Roehampton Lane, London, SW15 5PJ, UK.
| | - Maria Ashworth
- Department of Psychology, Kingston University London, London, UK
| | - Jo Van Herwegen
- Department of Psychology, Kingston University London, London, UK
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24
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Ibernon L, Touchet C, Pochon R. Emotion Recognition as a Real Strength in Williams Syndrome: Evidence From a Dynamic Non-verbal Task. Front Psychol 2018; 9:463. [PMID: 29674990 PMCID: PMC5895718 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The hypersocial profile characterizing individuals with Williams syndrome (WS), and particularly their attraction to human faces and their desire to form relationships with other people, could favor the development of their emotion recognition capacities. This study seeks to better understand the development of emotion recognition capacities in WS. The ability to recognize six emotions was assessed in 15 participants with WS. Their performance was compared to that of 15 participants with Down syndrome (DS) and 15 typically developing (TD) children of the same non-verbal developmental age, as assessed with Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices (RCPM; Raven et al., 1998). The analysis of the three groups’ results revealed that the participants with WS performed better than the participants with DS and also than the TD children. Individuals with WS performed at a similar level to TD participants in terms of recognizing different types of emotions. The study of development trajectories confirmed that the participants with WS presented the same development profile as the TD participants. These results seem to indicate that the recognition of emotional facial expressions constitutes a real strength in people with WS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laure Ibernon
- Centre de Recherche en Psychologie: Cognition, Psychisme et Organisations (EA 7273), Département de Psychologie, UFR Sciences Humaines et Sociales et Philosophie, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France
| | - Claire Touchet
- Centre de Recherche en Psychologie: Cognition, Psychisme et Organisations (EA 7273), Département de Psychologie, UFR Sciences Humaines et Sociales et Philosophie, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France
| | - Régis Pochon
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognition, Santé, Société (EA 6291), Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
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Morel A, Peyroux E, Leleu A, Favre E, Franck N, Demily C. Overview of Social Cognitive Dysfunctions in Rare Developmental Syndromes With Psychiatric Phenotype. Front Pediatr 2018; 6:102. [PMID: 29774207 PMCID: PMC5943552 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2018.00102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Rare neurodevelopmental syndromes often present social cognitive deficits that may underlie difficulties in social interactions and increase the risk of psychosis or autism spectrum disorders. However, little is known regarding the specificities of social cognitive impairment across syndromes while it remains a major challenge for the care. Our review provides an overview of social cognitive dysfunctions in rare diseases associated with psychiatric symptoms (with a prevalence estimated between 1 in 1,200 and 1 in 25,000 live births: 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Rett syndrome, Smith-Magenis syndrome, Turner syndrome, and Williams syndrome) and shed some light on the specific mechanisms that may underlie these skills in each clinical presentation. We first detail the different processes included in the generic expression "social cognition" before summarizing the genotype, psychiatric phenotype, and non-social cognitive profile in each syndrome. Then, we offer a systematic review of the social cognitive abilities and the disturbed mechanisms they are likely associated with. We followed the PRISMA process, including the definition of the relevant search terms, the selection of studies based on clear inclusion, and exclusion criteria and the quality appraisal of papers. We finally provide insights that may have considerable influence on the development of adapted therapeutic interventions such as social cognitive training (SCT) therapies specifically designed to target the psychiatric phenotype. The results of this review suggest that social cognition impairments share some similarities across syndromes. We propose that social cognitive impairments are strongly involved in behavioral symptoms regardless of the overall cognitive level measured by intelligence quotient. Better understanding the mechanisms underlying impaired social cognition may lead to adapt therapeutic interventions. The studies targeting social cognition processes offer new thoughts about the development of specific cognitive training programs, as they highlight the importance of connecting neurocognitive and SCT techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurore Morel
- Scientific Brain Training, Reference Center for Rare Diseases GénoPsy, CH Le Vinatier, UMR 5229, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Lyon, France
| | - Elodie Peyroux
- Reference Center for Rare Diseases GénoPsy, SUR/CL3R: Service Universitaire de Réhabilitation, CH Le Vinatier, UMR 5229, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Lyon, France
| | - Arnaud Leleu
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, AgroSup Dijon, INRA, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, CNRS, Dijon, France
| | - Emilie Favre
- Reference Center for Rare Diseases GénoPsy, CH Le Vinatier, UMR 5229, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Lyon, France
| | - Nicolas Franck
- Centre ressource de réhabilitation psychosociale et de remédiation cognitive, CH Le Vinatier, Lyon et UMR 5229 (CNRS and Université Lyon), Lyon, France
| | - Caroline Demily
- Reference Center for Rare Diseases GénoPsy, CH Le Vinatier, UMR 5229, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, Lyon, France
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Fisher MH, Morin L. Addressing social skills deficits in adults with Williams syndrome. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2017; 71:77-87. [PMID: 29032288 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2017.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Revised: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with Williams syndrome (WS) are hypersocial; yet, they experience social difficulties and trouble with relationships. This report summarizes findings from three studies examining the social functioning of adults with WS and the feasibility of a social skills training program for adults with WS (SSTP-WS) through the examination of performance on initial lesson plans. METHOD Study 1: 114 parents of adults with WS completed the Social Responsiveness Scale-2. Study 2: 10 adults with WS and 12 of their parents participated in focus groups to further describe the deficits identified in Study 1 and to discuss a SSTP-WS. Study 3: 30 adults with WS were randomly assigned to 2 lessons on either conversations or relationships and pre-post change in social skills knowledge was assessed. RESULTS Study 1 indicates adults with WS experience severe social impairments in social cognition, and mild-moderate impairments in social awareness and social communication. Qualitative results in Study 2 indicate a SSTP-WS should address conversation skills and relationships. In Study 3, participants showed gains in social skills knowledge following completion of lessons. IMPLICATIONS A SSTP-WS may be beneficial for adults with WS. Future research should describe the social needs of individuals with WS at different ages and should further develop a SSTP-WS.
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Parent and Self-Report Ratings on the Perceived Levels of Social Vulnerability of Adults with Williams Syndrome. J Autism Dev Disord 2017; 46:3424-3433. [PMID: 27506644 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2885-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The current study took a multi-informant approach to compare parent to self-report ratings of social vulnerability of adults with Williams syndrome (WS). Participants included 102 pairs of adults with WS and their parents. Parents completed the Social Vulnerability Questionnaire and adults with WS completed an adapted version of the questionnaire. Parents consistently reported higher levels of social vulnerability for their son/daughter than the individual with WS reported, with the exception of emotional abuse. The lower ratings of social vulnerability by adults with WS, compared to their parents, offer new information about their insight into their own vulnerability. These findings highlight the importance of teaching self-awareness as a part of a multi-informant approach to interventions designed to target social vulnerability.
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Crespi BJ, Procyshyn TL. Williams syndrome deletions and duplications: Genetic windows to understanding anxiety, sociality, autism, and schizophrenia. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 79:14-26. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Revised: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Abstract
Individuals with Williams syndrome (WS) often experience significant anxiety. A promising approach to anxiety intervention has emerged from cognitive studies of attention bias to threat. To investigate the utility of this intervention in WS, this study examined attention bias to happy and angry faces in individuals with WS (N = 46). Results showed a significant difference in attention bias patterns as a function of IQ and anxiety. Individuals with higher IQ or higher anxiety showed a significant bias toward angry, but not happy faces, whereas individuals with lower IQ or lower anxiety showed the opposite pattern. These results suggest that attention bias interventions to modify a threat bias may be most effectively targeted to anxious individuals with WS with relatively high IQ.
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Ng R, Bellugi U, Järvinen A. Anxiety and autonomic response to social-affective stimuli in individuals with Williams syndrome. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2016; 59:387-398. [PMID: 27718424 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2016.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Revised: 08/20/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Williams syndrome (WS) is a genetic condition characterized by an unusual "hypersocial" personality juxtaposed by high anxiety. Recent evidence suggests that autonomic reactivity to affective face stimuli is disorganised in WS, which may contribute to emotion dysregulation and/or social disinhibition. METHODS Electrodermal activity (EDA) and mean interbeat interval (IBI) of 25 participants with WS (19 - 57 years old) and 16 typically developing (TD; 17-43 years old) adults were measured during a passive presentation of affective face and voice stimuli. The Beck Anxiety Inventory was administered to examine associations between autonomic reactivity to social-affective stimuli and anxiety symptomatology. RESULTS The WS group was characterized by higher overall anxiety symptomatology, and poorer anger recognition in social visual and aural stimuli relative to the TD group. No between-group differences emerged in autonomic response patterns. Notably, for participants with WS, increased anxiety was uniquely associated with diminished arousal to angry faces and voices. In contrast, for the TD group, no associations emerged between anxiety and physiological responsivity to social-emotional stimuli. CONCLUSIONS The anxiety associated with WS appears to be intimately related to reduced autonomic arousal to angry social stimuli, which may also be linked to the characteristic social disinhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rowena Ng
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA; University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Institute of Child Development, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Ursula Bellugi
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Anna Järvinen
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Lough E, Rodgers J, Janes E, Little K, Riby DM. Parent insights into atypicalities of social approach behaviour in Williams syndrome. JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH : JIDR 2016; 60:1097-1108. [PMID: 27109005 DOI: 10.1111/jir.12279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Revised: 10/13/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with Williams syndrome have been reported to show high levels of social interest and a desire to interact with others irrespective of their familiarity. This high social motivation, when combined with reduced intellectual capacity and a profile of atypical social behaviour, is important in terms of social vulnerability of individuals with the disorder. Therefore, social approach to unfamiliar people and the role of this behaviour within the Williams syndrome (WS) social phenotype warrant further research to inform social skills' intervention design. METHODS The current study used parent interviews (n = 21) to probe aspects of social behaviour and interactions with strangers, as well as the impact of such behaviour on the family. Using thematic analysis, it was possible to explore themes that emerged from the interviews, offering qualitatively rich insight into the variability of social approach behaviour in WS. RESULTS Thematic analysis confirmed a significant desire to interact with strangers as well as a lack of awareness of appropriate social boundaries. However, parental reports about their child's social approach behaviour varied considerably. The within-syndrome variability of the sample was emphasised in parental reports of their child's personality characteristics (e.g. levels of impulsiveness), as well as the level of parental supervision employed. CONCLUSIONS These in-depth parent insights can help target the needs of individuals with WS and emphasise that an individual approach to intervention will be essential because of the heterogeneity of the WS social profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Lough
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - J Rodgers
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - E Janes
- Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - K Little
- School of Psychology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - D M Riby
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK.
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Key AP, Dykens EM. Processing of stimulus content but not of emotional valence is altered in persons with Williams syndrome. JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH : JIDR 2016; 60:993-1009. [PMID: 27457303 PMCID: PMC6933513 DOI: 10.1111/jir.12319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Revised: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with Williams syndrome (WS) exhibit hypersociability and may respond atypically to emotional information in social and nonsocial stimuli. It is not yet clear whether these difficulties are specific to emotional content or stimulus type. This study examined the neural processes supporting social and emotional information processing in WS. METHOD Visual event-related potentials were recorded in 19 adults with WS and 10 typical peers during a picture-viewing task requiring detection of smiling faces among other social and nonsocial images with positive and negative emotional content. RESULTS The participant groups were not significantly different in affective processing of positive and negative stimuli and perceived faces as different from nonsocial images. Participants with WS showed subtle differences in face-specific perceptual processes (e.g. face inversion, N170 lateralisation), suggesting a more feature-based processing. They also demonstrated reduced attention and arousal modulation (P3, late positive potential) in response to faces vs. nonsocial images. These differences were independent of intelligence quotient. CONCLUSIONS There was no evidence of greater than typical perceptual, attentional or affective processing of social information in WS. The results support the idea that altered face perception processes and not the increased salience of social stimuli or difficulties with emotion discrimination may contribute to the hypersocial phenotype in WS.
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Affiliation(s)
- A P Key
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center & Dept. of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - E M Dykens
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center & Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
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Barak B, Feng G. Neurobiology of social behavior abnormalities in autism and Williams syndrome. Nat Neurosci 2016; 19:647-655. [PMID: 29323671 PMCID: PMC4896837 DOI: 10.1038/nn.4276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2015] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Social behavior is a basic behavior mediated by multiple brain regions and neural circuits, and is crucial for the survival and development of animals and humans. Two neuropsychiatric disorders that have prominent social behavior abnormalities are autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which is characterized mainly by hyposociability, and Williams syndrome (WS), whose subjects exhibit hypersociability. Here we review the unique properties of social behavior in ASD and WS, and discuss the major theories in social behavior in the context of these disorders. We conclude with a discussion of the research questions needing further exploration to enhance our understanding of social behavior abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boaz Barak
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Brain &Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Guoping Feng
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Brain &Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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Järvinen A, Ng R, Crivelli D, Neumann D, Arnold AJ, Woo-VonHoogenstyn N, Lai P, Trauner D, Bellugi U. Social functioning and autonomic nervous system sensitivity across vocal and musical emotion in Williams syndrome and autism spectrum disorder. Dev Psychobiol 2016; 58:17-26. [PMID: 26248474 PMCID: PMC6462219 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Both Williams syndrome (WS) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are associated with unusual auditory phenotypes with respect to processing vocal and musical stimuli, which may be shaped by the atypical social profiles that characterize the syndromes. Autonomic nervous system (ANS) reactivity to vocal and musical emotional stimuli was examined in 12 children with WS, 17 children with ASD, and 20 typically developing (TD) children, and related to their level of social functioning. The results of this small-scale study showed that after controlling for between-group differences in cognitive ability, all groups showed similar emotion identification performance across conditions. Additionally, in ASD, lower autonomic reactivity to human voice, and in TD, to musical emotion, was related to more normal social functioning. Compared to TD, both clinical groups showed increased arousal to vocalizations. A further result highlighted uniquely increased arousal to music in WS, contrasted with a decrease in arousal in ASD and TD. The ASD and WS groups exhibited arousal patterns suggestive of diminished habituation to the auditory stimuli. The results are discussed in the context of the clinical presentation of WS and ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Järvinen
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037-1002.
| | - Rowena Ng
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037-1002
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Institute of Child Development, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Davide Crivelli
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037-1002
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
| | - Dirk Neumann
- Emotion and Social Cognition Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
| | - Andrew J Arnold
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037-1002
| | - Nicholas Woo-VonHoogenstyn
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037-1002
| | - Philip Lai
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037-1002
| | - Doris Trauner
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Ursula Bellugi
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037-1002
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Stephenson KG, Quintin EM, South M. Age-Related Differences in Response to Music-Evoked Emotion Among Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2015; 46:1142-51. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-015-2624-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Järvinen A, Ng R, Bellugi U. Autonomic response to approachability characteristics, approach behavior, and social functioning in Williams syndrome. Neuropsychologia 2015; 78:159-70. [PMID: 26459097 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2015] [Revised: 10/06/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurogenetic disorder that is saliently characterized by a unique social phenotype, most notably associated with a dramatically increased affinity and approachability toward unfamiliar people. Despite a recent proliferation of studies into the social profile of WS, the underpinnings of the pro-social predisposition are poorly understood. To this end, the present study was aimed at elucidating approach behavior of individuals with WS contrasted with typical development (TD) by employing a multidimensional design combining measures of autonomic arousal, social functioning, and two levels of approach evaluations. Given previous evidence suggesting that approach behaviors of individuals with WS are driven by a desire for social closeness, approachability tendencies were probed across two levels of social interaction: talking versus befriending. The main results indicated that while overall level of approachability did not differ between groups, an important qualitative between-group difference emerged across the two social interaction contexts: whereas individuals with WS demonstrated a similar willingness to approach strangers across both experimental conditions, TD individuals were significantly more willing to talk to than to befriend strangers. In WS, high approachability to positive faces across both social interaction levels was further associated with more normal social functioning. A novel finding linked autonomic responses with willingness to befriend negative faces in the WS group: elevated autonomic responsivity was associated with increased affiliation to negative face stimuli, which may represent an autonomic correlate of approach behavior in WS. Implications for underlying organization of the social brain are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Järvinen
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Rowena Ng
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA; Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN, USA
| | - Ursula Bellugi
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Boggio PS, Asthana MK, Costa TL, Valasek CA, Osório AAC. Promoting social plasticity in developmental disorders with non-invasive brain stimulation techniques. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:294. [PMID: 26388712 PMCID: PMC4555066 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Being socially connected directly impacts our basic needs and survival. People with deficits in social cognition might exhibit abnormal behaviors and face many challenges in our highly social-dependent world. These challenges and limitations are associated with a substantial economical and subjective impact. As many conditions where social cognition is affected are highly prevalent, more treatments have to be developed. Based on recent research, we review studies where non-invasive neuromodulatory techniques have been used to promote Social Plasticity in developmental disorders. We focused on three populations where non-invasive brain stimulation seems to be a promising approach in inducing social plasticity: Schizophrenia, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Williams Syndrome (WS). There are still very few studies directly evaluating the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in the social cognition of these populations. However, when considering the promising preliminary evidences presented in this review and the limited amount of clinical interventions available for treating social cognition deficits in these populations today, it is clear that the social neuroscientist arsenal may profit from non-invasive brain stimulation techniques for rehabilitation and promotion of social plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo S Boggio
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Manish K Asthana
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thiago L Costa
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Cláudia A Valasek
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana A C Osório
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory and Developmental Disorders Program, Center for Health and Biological Sciences, Mackenzie Presbyterian University Sao Paulo, Brazil
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Järvinen A, Ng R, Crivelli D, Neumann D, Grichanik M, Arnold AJ, Lai P, Trauner D, Bellugi U. Patterns of Sensitivity to Emotion in Children with Williams Syndrome and Autism: Relations Between Autonomic Nervous System Reactivity and Social Functioning. J Autism Dev Disord 2015; 45:2594-612. [PMID: 25800866 PMCID: PMC6462220 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-015-2429-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are associated with atypical social-emotional functioning. Affective visual stimuli were used to assess autonomic reactivity and emotion identification, and the social responsiveness scale was used to determine the level social functioning in children with WS and ASD contrasted with typical development (TD), to examine syndrome-specific and syndrome-general features. Children with ASD exhibited the highest arousal in response to faces, with a lack of difference in autonomic sensitivity across different emotional expressions, unlike in WS and TD. The WS group demonstrated unique deficits in identifying neutral stimuli. While autonomic responsivity to neutral faces was associated with social functioning in all children, converging profiles characterized children with WS contrasted with TD and ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Järvinen
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037-1002, USA,
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Lough E, Hanley M, Rodgers J, South M, Kirk H, Kennedy DP, Riby DM. Violations of Personal Space in Young People with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Williams Syndrome: Insights from the Social Responsiveness Scale. J Autism Dev Disord 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-015-2536-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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Järvinen A, Ng R, Crivelli D, Arnold AJ, Woo-VonHoogenstyn N, Bellugi U. Relations between social-perceptual ability in multi- and unisensory contexts, autonomic reactivity, and social functioning in individuals with Williams syndrome. Neuropsychologia 2015; 73:127-40. [PMID: 26002754 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.04.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2014] [Revised: 04/26/2015] [Accepted: 04/30/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Compromised social-perceptual ability has been proposed to contribute to social dysfunction in neurodevelopmental disorders. While such impairments have been identified in Williams syndrome (WS), little is known about emotion processing in auditory and multisensory contexts. Employing a multidimensional approach, individuals with WS and typical development (TD) were tested for emotion identification across fearful, happy, and angry multisensory and unisensory face and voice stimuli. Autonomic responses were monitored in response to unimodal emotion. The WS group was administered an inventory of social functioning. Behaviorally, individuals with WS relative to TD demonstrated impaired processing of unimodal vocalizations and emotionally incongruent audiovisual compounds, reflecting a generalized deficit in social-auditory processing in WS. The TD group outperformed their counterparts with WS in identifying negative (fearful and angry) emotion, with similar between-group performance with happy stimuli. Mirroring this pattern, electrodermal activity (EDA) responses to the emotional content of the stimuli indicated that whereas those with WS showed the highest arousal to happy, and lowest arousal to fearful stimuli, the TD participants demonstrated the contrasting pattern. In WS, more normal social functioning was related to higher autonomic arousal to facial expressions. Implications for underlying neural architecture and emotional functions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Järvinen
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Rowena Ng
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA; Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN, USA
| | - Davide Crivelli
- Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrew J Arnold
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Ursula Bellugi
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Ng R, Järvinen A, Bellugi U. Characterizing associations and dissociations between anxiety, social, and cognitive phenotypes of Williams syndrome. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2014; 35:2403-2415. [PMID: 24973548 PMCID: PMC4112021 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2014.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2014] [Revised: 06/05/2014] [Accepted: 06/06/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurogenetic disorder known for its "hypersocial" phenotype and a complex profile of anxieties. The anxieties are poorly understood specifically in relation to the social-emotional and cognitive profiles. To address this gap, we employed a Wechsler intelligence test, the Brief Symptom Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Salk Institute Sociability Questionnaire, to (1) examine how anxiety symptoms distinguish individuals with WS from typically developing (TD) individuals; and (2) assess the associations between three key phenotypic features of WS: intellectual impairment, social-emotional functioning, and anxiety. The results highlighted intensified neurophysiological symptoms and subjective experiences of anxiety in WS. Moreover, whereas higher cognitive ability was positively associated with anxiety in WS, the opposite pattern characterized the TD individuals. This study provides novel insight into how the three core phenotypic features associate/dissociate in WS, specifically in terms of the contribution of cognitive and emotional functioning to anxiety symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rowena Ng
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, USA; University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Institute of Child Development, USA
| | - Anna Järvinen
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, USA.
| | - Ursula Bellugi
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, USA
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