Fisher Group - Molecular Neuroscience
Overview For Non-Scientists
The majority of children develop proficient speech and language skills with little conscious effort and without the need for formal tuition. Intriguingly, a small but significant proportion of children have unexplained difficulties acquiring language, in absence of any obvious cause. These problems make major impacts on education, mental health and social well-being. Family and twin studies indicate that a child's genetic make-up plays a major role in risk of developing language problems. However, it is clear that many genes must be involved. Researchers are searching hard for these, hoping to develop early diagnosis, novel therapies, and increased understanding of how/why such syndromes occur. Dr. Fisher and colleagues previously discovered a particularly interesting gene called 'FOXP2'. Children with FOXP2 mutations have problems mastering the complicated sequences of mouth movements needed for speech, along with difficulties in diverse aspects of language. FOXP2 affects cell function by regulating (switching on and off) other genes. Although mutation of FOXP2 itself is rare, we recently showed that genes which it regulates in neurons (brain cells) can be broadly involved in common language problems, including typical forms of "specific language impairment" and classical autism.
FOXP2 is also present in non-speaking species where we have found that it affects the functions of certain brain circuits; these circuits are important for learning to coordinate sequences of movement. Moreover, the gene has been linked to vocal imitation in birds that learn their songs. We are using FOXP2 as a unique entrypoint to help explain how brain function goes awry in children with language problems. We employ state-of-the-art genomic methods to characterize the molecular pathways that lie downstream of FOXP2, and to assess their involvement in language-related disorders. We integrate data from human cell-culture, model systems, and screening of genes in cohorts of affected children. Our research may ultimately yield improved diagnosis and treatment of language-related disorders. It is also shedding the first light on how the human genome helps to build a language-ready brain.