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Cellular Disturbances in the Williams Syndrome Cortex: The Impact of Glia on Social Behavior

Abstract

The evolution of the human brain has involved a substantial increase in size as well as modifications to the internal, cellular organization and developmental trajectory. These changes have resulted in enhanced cognition, highly complex social behavior, and an increased susceptibility to neurological dysfunction. Comparative neuroanatomical studies of human neurodevelopmental disorders that present with altered cognition or social behavior can increase our understanding of how microstructural changes in the brain may impact uniquely human traits and behaviors. Williams Syndrome (WS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder, caused by a hemi-deletion of approximately 25-28 genes on chromosome band 7q11.2, characterized by altered social and emotional behavior, specifically hypersociability, lack of social inhibition, and increased anxiety. We identified microstructural changes in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and in glia density across the cortex that may contribute to the social and emotional features of WS. We found decreased neuron density and increased glia density in the vmPFC, increased astrocyte/microglia density in unimodal cortical areas, and increased oligodendrocyte density in prefrontal and unimodal cortical areas. These results suggest that alterations in glia may be a common feature across the WS cortex, potentially affecting neuron-glia interaction and neuronal function. These findings provide evidence for the role of glia in social behavior, and aid in identifying the mechanisms underlying alterations in social function. Additionally, this work contributes to our understanding of the link between microstructural variation and brain function, and the mechanisms that link genetic variation to neuroanatomical variation.

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