Social rewards more effective for people with Williams syndrome

People with Williams syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that amplifies social skills while inhibiting math and spatial skills, are likely to respond more to social rewards, like smiles, because their brain's emotional-processing center is more active in response to positive emotions and less so in response to negative ones, according to a new study. Because Williams syndrome is something of a polar opposite of autism, researchers also hope to study brain function in children with autism and Fragile X syndrome. ScienceDaily

What are the common features of Williams syndrome?

- Characteristic facial appearance
- Heart and blood vessel problems
- Hypercalcemia (elevated blood calcium levels)
- Low birth-weight / low weight gain
- Feeding problems
- Irritability (colic during infancy)
- Dental abnormalities
- Kidney abnormalities
- Hernias
- Hyperacusis (sensitive hearing)
- Musculoskeletal problems
- Overly friendly (excessively social) personality
- Developmental delay, learning disabilities and attention deficit

Further reading from the UK