In regards to the genetic deletion, yeah that doesn't seem to be the cause of autism, but cells are so complex that their could be related mechanisms downstream from that. E.g. it's not like there's a single "socialising gene" which is either on or off and explains the entire phenotype. I thought of it because we know there's a lot of overlap between other neurodivergent conditions like autism and ADHD. Maybe one day we'll discover a model which explains all these conditions.
> e.g. it's not like there's a single "socialising gene" which is either on or off and explains the entire phenotype.
Indeed, naïvely it almost seems to me like in Williams Syndrome what is missing is something that causes the brain to keep the mirror neurons in perspective. People with the syndrome rapidly experience a sense of closeness with people they don't actually understand and whose motivations may be harmful.
