Music affinity and emotion in Williams Syndrome

Philip To Lai

Abstract


Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental genetic disorder. Of interest to cognitive scientists is the uneven cognitive profile that is characteristic of the syndrome. In spite of mild to moderate intellectual disability, a complex pattern of strengths and weaknesses is found in their cognitive abilities. Strengths are seen in linguistic abilities and facial processing whereas weaknesses include visuo-spatial skills and conceptual reasoning abilities. Numerous anecdotes exist regarding musical abilities in individuals with WS. To elaborate on the neuropsychological profile of WS and particularly to better understand the affinity to music in individuals with WS, the present study examined the perception and production of music in this population. Results revealed that overall, individuals with WS were more expressive than typically developing individuals when they were involved with music. This study serves to further characterize this unique social and cognitive profile of individuals with WS, adding an affinity to music as a characteristic of their phenotype.

Full Text:

 Subscribers Only

References


Bhattacharjee Y. Friendly faces and unusual minds. Science. 2005: 310(5749): 802-804. doi: 10.1126/science.310.5749.802.

Stromme P, Bjornstad PG, Ramstad K. Prevalence estimation of Williams syndrome [published online April 1, 2002]. J of Child Neuro. doi: doi.org/10.1177/088307380201700406.

Deruelle C, Rondan C, Mancini J, Livet MO. Do children with Williams syndrome fail to process visual configural information? [published online July 7, 2005]. Res in Dev Dis. doi:doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2005.03.002.

Tager-Flusberg H, Sullivan K. A componential view of theory of mind: Evidence from Williams syndrome. [published online July 1, 2000]. Cognition. doi: doi.org/10.1016/S0010-0277(00)00069-X.

Bellugi U, Lichtenberger L, Jones W, Lai Z, George MS. The neurocognitive profile of Williams syndrome: A complex pattern of strengths and weaknesses. In: Journey from cognition to brain to gene: Perspectives from Williams syndrome. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press; 2000:1-41. doi: doi.org/10.1162/089892900561959.

Martens, M. A., Wilson, S. J., & Reutens, D. C. Research Review: Williams syndrome: a critical review of the cognitive, behavioral, and neuroanatomical phenotype [published online May 19, 2008]. J of Child Psych & Psy. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2008.01887.x.

Bellugi U, Lai Z, Wang P. Language, communication, and neural systems in Williams syndrome. Ment Ret and Dev Dis Res Rev. 1997: 3(4): 334-342.

Elgar K, Campbell R. Annotation: The cognitive neuroscience of face recognition: Implications for developmental disorders [published online October 1, 2001]. J of Child Psych & Psy & Allied Discip. doi: doi.org/10.1017/S0021963001007508.

von Arnim G, Engel P. Mental retardation related to hypercalcaemia [published online November 12, 2008]. Dev Med & Child Neuro. doi:doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8749.1964.tb08138.x.

Don AJ, Schellenberg GE, Rourke BP. Music and language skills of children with Williams syndrome. Child Neuropsych. 1999: 5(3): 154-170.

Elsabbagh M, Cohen H, Karmiloff-Smith A. Auditory perception in atypical development: From basic building blocks to higher level perceptual organization. CRL Tech Rep. 2008: 20(1): 3-15.

Lenhoff HM, Wang PP, Greenberg F, Bellugi U. Williams Syndrome and the brain. [published online December 1997]. Sci Am. doi: http://www.jstor.org/stable/24996044.

Levitin DJ, Cole K, Chiles M, Lai Z, Lincoln A, Bellugi U. Characterizing the musical phenotype in individuals with Williams syndrome [published online August 9, 2010]. Child Neuropsych. doi: doi.org/10.1080/09297040490909288.

Martinez-Castilla P, Sotillo M. Singing abilities in Williams syndrome [published online June 5, 2008]. Music Percep. doi: 10.1525/mp.2008.25.5.449.

Reis SM, Schader R, Milne H, Stephens R. Music & Minds: Using a talent development approach for young adults with Williams syndrome [published online April 1, 2003]. Except Children. doi: doi.org/10.1177/001440290306900303.

Levitin DJ, Menon V, Schmitt JE, et al. Neural correlates of auditory perception in Williams syndrome: an fMRI study [published online December 24, 2002]. Neuroimage. doi: doi.org/10.1006/nimg.2002.1297.

Dykens EM, Rosner BA, Ly T, Sagun J. Music and anxiety in Williams syndrome: A harmonious or discordant relationship? Am J on Ment Ret. 2005: 110(5): 346-358.

Rosner BA, Hodapp RM, Fidler DJ, Sagun JN, & Dykens EM. Social competence in persons with Prader-Willi, Williams and Down's Syndromes [published online August 16,2004]. J of App Res in Intel Dis. doi: doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-3148.2004.00200.x.

Sellinger MH, Hodapp RM, Dykens EM. Leisure activities of individuals with Prader-Willi, Williams, and Down Syndromes [published online May 18, 2006]. J of Dev & Phys Dis. doi: doi.org/10.1007/s10882-006-9006-8.

Brugman H, Russel A. Annotating Multimedia/Multi-modal resources with ELAN. Paper presented at: LREC 2004, Fourth International Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation, May 2004.

Lausberg H, Sloetjes H. Coding gestural behavior with the NEUROGES-ELAN system [published online March 13, 2009]. Beh Res Meth, Inst, & Comp. doi: doi.org/10.3758/BRM.41.3.841.

Paul BM, Stiles J, Passarotti A, Bavar N, Bellugi U. Face and place processing in Williams syndrome: Evidence for a dorsal-ventral dissociation. Neuroreport: 2002: 13(9):1115-1119.

Jones W, Bellugi U, Lai Z, et al. Hypersociability: The social and affective phenotype of Williams syndrome. In: Journey from cognition to gene to behavior: Perspectives from Williams syndrome. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press; 2001:43-72.

Rose FE, Lincoln AJ, Lai Z, Ene M, Searcy YM, Bellugi U. Orientation and affective expression effects on face recognition in Williams syndrome and Autism. [published online August 12, 2006]. J of Aut & Dev Dis. doi: doi.org/10.1007/s10803-006-0200-4.

Ng R, Lai P, Levitin D, Bellugi U. Musicality Correlates With Sociability and Emotionality in Williams Syndrome [published online July 3, 2013]. J of Ment Health Res in Intel Dis. doi: 10.1080/19315864.2012.683932.

Thornton-Wells TA, Cannistraci CJ, Anderson AW, et al. Auditory attraction: activation of visual cortex by music and sound in Williams syndrome [published online March 2010]. Am J on Intel and Dev Dis. doi: 10.1352/1944-7588-115.172.

Wengenroth M, Blatow M, Bendszus M, Schneider P. Leftward Lateralization of Auditory Cortex Underlies Holistic Sound Perception in Williams Syndrome [published online August 23, 2010]. Plos One. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0012326.

Schneider P, Scherg M, Dosch HG, Specht HJ, Gutschalk A, Rupp A. Morphology of Heschl's gyrus reflects enhanced activation in the auditory cortex of musicians [published online June 17, 2002]. Nat Neuro. doi:10.1038/nn871.

Lense M, Dykens E. Musical learning in children and adults with Williams syndrome [published online September 14, 2012]. J of Intel Dis Res. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2012.01611.x.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.47513/mmd.v12i2.686

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


by The International Association for Music & Medicine