Prolonged attention span in AS patients could be magnified by positive facial expressions

In a groundbreaking study, researchers have delved into the attentional responses of individuals with Angelman syndrome (AS), a rare genetic disorder that affects social interaction and communication. The findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, provide fresh insights into the social phenotype of this under-studied population.

The study, titled "Social attention and social-emotional modulation of attention in Angelman syndrome: an eye-tracking study," involved 24 individuals with AS, with an average age of 11.8 years. All participants watched videos of an unfamiliar actor under two conditions: playful with positive facial emotions and neutral with neutral facial expressions.

Interestingly, the researchers observed a negative correlation between age and the amount of time people with AS spent looking at the screen. Compared to the control group, individuals with AS spent significantly less time looking at the screen and a smaller proportion of time looking at faces over actions.

However, people with AS did not spend as much time looking at positive facial emotions as children without AS. Contrarily, positive facial emotions, such as happiness and joy, were found to be attention-grabbing for people with AS. Being playful was more engaging for all participants, with everyone spending more time looking at the actor's face when the actor showed positive facial emotions.

The videos did not provide real-life interactions, yet the study offers valuable information about the social attentional patterns of individuals with AS. The researchers noted that individuals with AS are easily excitable, frequently smiling and laughing, and highly driven toward engaging in social interactions with others.

Despite the short attention span and hyperactivity often associated with AS, the study revealed that the playful condition did not elicit increased time looking at the actors' actions across participants. This suggests that the social nature of positive facial emotions may hold a unique appeal for individuals with AS.

The study is the first controlled one focusing on social attention and social modulation of attention in individuals with AS. It builds upon previous research that has primarily focused on the cognitive and behavioural aspects of the disorder.

Children diagnosed with AS typically begin to show signs of delayed development when they are still infants. Later, they may experience symptoms such as difficulties speaking, problems with movement and balance, and seizures. However, the social aspects of the disorder have received less attention, making this study a significant contribution to the field.

The researchers, though not named in the available search results, found that positive facial expressions can capture the attention of individuals with AS longer than neutral faces. This finding underscores the importance of positive and playful interactions in fostering social connections for individuals with AS.

In conclusion, this study provides a valuable understanding of the attentional responses in individuals with AS, offering insights into their social behaviour and providing a foundation for future research in this area.

Prolonged attention span in AS patients could be magnified by positive facial expressions