Visual processing of complex social scenes in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome: Relevance for negative symptoms. (March 2023) - Dubourg, Lydia
Highlights: Data-driven method to explore visual social exploration Divergent patterns of social scene exploration in the 22q11DS population compared typical peers Abnormal pattern of social scene exploration from childhood to adulthood in 22q11DS Abnormal pattern of social scene exploration associated with negative symptoms, anxiety level and face recognition in the 22q11DS population Abstract: Current explanatory models of negative symptoms in schizophrenia have suggested the role of social cognition in symptom formation and maintenance. This study examined a core aspect of social cognition, namely social perception, and its association with clinical manifestations in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS), a genetic model of schizophrenia. We used an eye-tracking device to analyze developmental trajectories of complex and dynamic social scenes exploration in 58 participants with 22q11DS compared to 79 typically developing controls. Participants with 22q11DS showed divergent patterns of social scene exploration compared to healthy individuals from childhood to adulthood. We evidenced a more scattered gaze pattern and a lower number of shared gaze foci compared to healthy controls. Associations with negative symptoms, anxiety level, and face recognition were observed. Findings reveal abnormal visual exploration of complex social information from childhood to adulthood in 22q11DS. Atypical gaze patterns appear related to clinical manifestations in this syndrome.