Neural correlates of genetically abnormal social cognition in Williams syndrome.
Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS), caused by a microdeletion of approximately 21 genes on chromosome 7q11.23, is characterized by unique hypersociability combined with increased non-social anxiety. Using functional neuroimaging, we found reduced amygdala activation in individuals with WBS for threatening faces but increased activation for threatening scenes, relative to matched normal controls. Activation and interactions of prefrontal regions linked to amygdala, especially orbitofrontal cortex, were abnormal, suggesting a genetically controlled neural circuitry for regulating human social behavior.
Meyer-Lindenberg
Andreas
A
Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. andreasml@nih.gov
Hariri
Ahmad R
AR
Munoz
Karen E
KE
Mervis
Carolyn B
CB
Mattay
Venkata S
VS
Morris
Colleen A
CA
Berman
Karen Faith
KF
D000679:Amygdala / Q000503:physiopathology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D012919:Social Behavior; D018980:Williams Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*