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Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Evaluation of the Cognitive Performance of Hypertensive Patients with Silent Cerebrovascular Lesions
Published on: April 23, 2021
Relationship between brain abnormalities and cognitive profile in Williams syndrome
Deny Menghini1, Margherita Di Paola, Francesca Federico
1Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, I.R.C.C.S, Children's Hospital "Bambino Gesù", Rome, Italy. menghinideny@gmail.com
Abstract:
Previous studies have shown inconsistent results when reporting brain abnormalities in Williams syndrome (WS). This makes an interpretation of clinical and behavioural data uncertain in terms of anatomical localization of brain tissue changes. In this study we employed voxel based morphometry to directly investigate the regional distribution of grey matter (GM) density as a function of individual neuropsychological profiles in individuals with WS. GM maps were regressed against the neuropsychological measures on which WS individuals performed worse than controls. Results showed an association between the regional GM density in the cerebellum, bilaterally, the right Supplementary Motor Area, the right fusiform gyrus, and measures of morpho-syntactic ability. An association was also found between measures of visuo-spatial and visuo-motor abilities and regional GM density in the left cerebellum, left parietal lobule, right superior and left orbital frontal gyri. The study shows the potential to clarify the anatomical substrate underlying specific cognitive deficits in WS.
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