Integration of Multiple Social Cues in Williams Syndrome: Neural and Behavioral Evidence

The study examined whether the social phenotype in Williams syndrome (WS) arises from atypical perception, attention, or executive function. Adults with WS (n=30) and neurotypical controls (n=32) completed a "Mind Reading" task requiring integration of facial emotions and gaze direction to infer desirability of concurrently presented objects. Participants with WS succeeded on direct gaze trials but performed near chance when disengagement from gaze direction was required. Perceptual (N170), attentional (P3), and emotional (LPP) neural response patterns were comparable between the groups. The discrepancy between neural findings and behavioral difficulties points to executive function as the contributor to WS social phenotype.