During the present grant period, Project III has contributed significantly to this innovative interdisciplinary program project by using advanced, multifaceted imaging methods to further elucidate the """"""""Functional Neuroanatomy of Williams Syndrome"""""""". For example, prominent volume reductions in the occipital lobe, accompanied by fMRI studies showing reduced activation within areas comprising primary and secondary visual cortex constitute strong candidates for explaining the neural basis of visual-perceptual deficits in this disorder. As consistent with the long-standing history of Williams syndrome as a genetic syndrome with an identifiable social-emotional phenotype, our data also reinforce the notion of an aberrant emotion system in this disorder. In particular, data from our volumetric, voxel-based morphometric and fMRI analyses suggest that brain areas comprising or associated with the limbic system are preserved, disproportionately large, show greater gray matter density and/or are over-activated in Williams syndrome (e.g., amygdala, hippocampus, anterior cingulate, superior temporal gyrus, insular cortex). In the next project period, we plan to more specifically characterize the WS neurofunctional phenotype using high-field (3T) structural, functional and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), advanced analytical methods including new 3-D cortical and subcortical mapping and shape analyses, and recruitment of key comparison groups. These imaging analyses will directly address the brain basis of the fascinating cognitive profile associated with WS, in particular as pertaining to the neural basis of visual and emotion processing. Results from Project III will be highly relevant to the multi-level interdisciplinary research approach characterizing this program project. In particular, we propose direct linkages to the neuropsychological and behavioral data collected in Project I, electrophysiological (ERP) information derived from Project II, neuroanatomical data from Project IV, and molecular genetic analyses from Projects V. Projects V.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Program Projects (P01)
Project #
2P01HD033113-09
Application #
7003882
Study Section
Pediatrics Subcommittee (CHHD)
Project Start
2004-04-05
Project End
2009-02-28
Budget Start
2004-04-05
Budget End
2005-02-28
Support Year
9
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$228,444
Indirect Cost
Name
Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Department
Type
DUNS #
078731668
City
La Jolla
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
92037
Chailangkarn, Thanathom; Noree, Chalongrat; Muotri, Alysson R (2018) The contribution of GTF2I haploinsufficiency to Williams syndrome. Mol Cell Probes 40:45-51
Ng, Rowena; Lai, Philip; Brown, Timothy T et al. (2018) Neuroanatomical correlates of emotion-processing in children with unilateral brain lesion: A preliminary study of limbic system organization. Soc Neurosci 13:688-700
Griesi-Oliveira, Karina; Suzuki, Angela May; Muotri, Alysson Renato (2017) TRPC Channels and Mental Disorders. Adv Exp Med Biol 976:137-148
Herai, Roberto H; Negraes, Priscilla D; Muotri, Alysson R (2017) Evidence of nuclei-encoded spliceosome mediating splicing of mitochondrial RNA. Hum Mol Genet 26:2472-2479
Ng, Rowena; Brown, Timothy T; Järvinen, Anna M et al. (2016) Structural integrity of the limbic-prefrontal connection: Neuropathological correlates of anxiety in Williams syndrome. Soc Neurosci 11:187-92
Ng, Rowena; Brown, Timothy T; Erhart, Matthew et al. (2016) Morphological differences in the mirror neuron system in Williams syndrome. Soc Neurosci 11:277-88
Green, Tamar; Fierro, Kyle C; Raman, Mira M et al. (2016) Surface-based morphometry reveals distinct cortical thickness and surface area profiles in Williams syndrome. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 171B:402-13
Järvinen, Anna; Ng, Rowena; Crivelli, Davide et al. (2015) Relations between social-perceptual ability in multi- and unisensory contexts, autonomic reactivity, and social functioning in individuals with Williams syndrome. Neuropsychologia 73:127-40
Järvinen, Anna; Ng, Rowena; Bellugi, Ursula (2015) Autonomic response to approachability characteristics, approach behavior, and social functioning in Williams syndrome. Neuropsychologia 78:159-70
Ng, Rowena; Fishman, Inna; Bellugi, Ursula (2015) Frontal asymmetry index in Williams syndrome: Evidence for altered emotional brain circuitry? Soc Neurosci 10:366-75

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