Altered Hemispheric Asymmetry of White Matter Integrity in Children With Williams Syndrome

Abstract

Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare condition caused by hemideletion of ∼25 genes at chromosomal location 7q11.23. Previous neuroimaging studies have demonstrated altered white matter integrity in both hemispheres in WS, but some findings, along with reported disparities in verbal versus spatial abilities, suggest that there may be underlying brain asymmetries. Because formal analyses of such putative lateralization have not been reported, here we tested for white matter asymmetry differences between children with WS and typically developing (TD) children.