Haesler, S., Rochefort, C., Georgi, B., Licznerski, P., Osten, P., Scharff, C. (December 2007) Incomplete and inaccurate vocal imitation after knockdown of FoxP2 in songbird basal ganglia nucleus Area X. PLoS Biology, 5 (12). e321. ISSN 1544-9173
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Abstract
The gene encoding the forkhead box transcription factor, FOXP2, is essential for developing the full articulatory power of human language. Mutations of FOXP2 cause developmental verbal dyspraxia (DVD), a speech and language disorder that compromises the fluent production of words and the correct use and comprehension of grammar. FOXP2 patients have structural and functional abnormalities in the striatum of the basal ganglia, which also express high levels of FOXP2. Since human speech and learned vocalizations in songbirds bear behavioral and neural parallels, songbirds provide a genuine model for investigating the basic principles of speech and its pathologies. In zebra finch Area X, a basal ganglia structure necessary for song learning, FoxP2 expression increases during the time when song learning occurs. Here, we used lentivirus-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) to reduce FoxP2 levels in Area X during song development. Knockdown of FoxP2 resulted in an incomplete and inaccurate imitation of tutor song. Inaccurate vocal imitation was already evident early during song ontogeny and persisted into adulthood. The acoustic structure and the duration of adult song syllables were abnormally variable, similar to word production in children with DVD. Our findings provide the first example of a functional gene analysis in songbirds and suggest that normal auditory-guided vocal motor learning requires FoxP2.
| Item Type: | Paper |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Animals Basal Ganglia/*anatomy & histology/*metabolism Finches/anatomy & histology/genetics/metabolism/*physiology Forkhead Transcription Factors/*deficiency/genetics/*metabolism Lentivirus/genetics Male Molecular Sequence Data RNA Interference Vocalization, Animal/*physiology |
| Subjects: | bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > genes, structure and function > genes: types > FoxP2 organism description > animal behavior organism description > animal > bird organism description > animal > mammal > primates > hominids > human organism description > animal behavior > speech |
| CSHL Authors: | |
| Communities: | CSHL labs > Osten lab |
| Depositing User: | CSHL Librarian |
| Date: | December 2007 |
| Date Deposited: | 15 Nov 2011 14:53 |
| Last Modified: | 08 Apr 2013 13:36 |
| PMCID: | PMC2100148 |
| Related URLs: | |
| URI: | https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/23026 |
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