[S13]: Integrating new neurons into the adult olfactory system

Genes that are implicated in speech and language impairments can provide novel insights into neural mechanisms contributing to human communication. We have shown that people who havemissense or nonsensemutations in the FOXP2gene develop major problems with learning and production of sequences of mouthmovements needed for speech, alongwith deficits inmany aspects of language and grammar. The gene encodes a conserved transcription factor that appears to help regulate development and/or function of subpopulations of neurons in a wide range of non-speaking vertebrates, but evidence suggests that its rolemay have been modified during human evolution. It is emphasised that FOXP2 is not the mythical ‘‘gene for language’’, but instead represents one piece of a complex evolutionary puzzle, involving multiple factors.MylaboratoryareusingFOXP2asanentrypoint for investigating neuronal pathways underlying speech and language acquisition, by adopting a range of complementary functional genetic techniques, from cell-lines andmutantmice to studies of humans affected with speech/language disorders. The FOXP2 story shows that understanding the neural basis of language requires a multidisciplinary perspective, integrating psychology, neuroscience, genetics, developmental biology and evolutionary anthropology.