Williams Syndrome

Ursula Williams, researcher at Salk Institute The nature versus nurture debate has raged for centuries, but scientists are moving ever closer to the notion that our genetic makeup determines much of how we behave, and a new grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development aims on exploring the link between what we're made of and who we are.

At the core of the grant and the research it is funding is a neurodevelopmental disorder called Williams syndrome. Williams syndrome affects facial physicality (characterized by an elfin appearance) and results in cardiovascular problems, but this research is primality concerned with the fact that the disorder results in hyper social and cheerful demeanors to the point where those affected with Williams syndrome have no distinction of strangers.

The Today Show recently did a story on Williams syndrome which pointed out Researchers believe that "Williams syndrome, which is characterized by unique genetic markers and distinct behaviors, may actually hold the secrets to understanding other better-known disorders — including autism."

The study, headed by Ursula Bellugi, hopes to find how genes affect traits from the highly social behavior of those with Williams to more isolated, loner behavior seen in other people. Williams syndrome is a great place to start because the disorder is centralized, only affecting about 25 genes out of 30,000 genes in the brain.