Face processing in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome: atypical development and visual scanning alterations.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Genetics

Background:

• Social difficulties are linked to atypical face exploration in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS).
• Configural face processing (CFP), crucial for social cognition, develops later and is implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders.
• Previous research suggests altered face exploration patterns in 22q11.2DS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize face processing, including configural (CFP) and featural (FFP) face processing, in children and adolescents with 22q11.2DS.
• To identify biases in initial eye fixation positions and differences in CFP and FFP using eye-tracking.
• To investigate the developmental trajectories of CFP and FFP through longitudinal accuracy data.

Main Methods:

• Seventy-five individuals with 22q11.2DS and 84 typically developed (TD) individuals (aged 6-21 years) completed an eye-tracking "Jane task" for CFP and FFP.
• A longitudinal follow-up evaluation was conducted on 36 individuals with 22q11.2DS and 30 TD individuals.

Main Results:

• Individuals with 22q11.2DS showed an early bias towards the mouth region and reduced exploration flexibility (fewer transitions, longer fixations).
• Scanpaths did not differ between CFP and FFP in the 22q11.2DS group.
• Longitudinal analysis indicated atypical development of CFP in 22q11.2DS.

Conclusions:

• This study provides new evidence for altered face exploration in 22q11.2DS.
• Identified developmental mechanisms may explain social interaction difficulties in 22q11.2DS.
• Findings highlight the importance of understanding face processing in neurodevelopmental syndromes.