The genetic basis of language is likely to involve a large number of genes in intricately regulated networks that control a range of cellular and developmental processes. It is our aim to understand these processes by using FOXP2, the first gene shown to play a role in language development and disorder, as a molecular entrypoint into speech and language pathways.

Our previous work demonstrated that FOXP2 is able to act as a transcription factor (Vernes 2006) to regulate the expression of a range of downstream target genes (Vernes 2007, Spiteri 2007). Most recently we used the mouse brain as a model system to define Foxp2 target genes and identify gene networks that may themselves be involved in language development and disorder (Vernes 2011). By investigating these downstream gene networks we have also been able to identify functional pathways regulated by FOXP2 that may themselves play a role in language development, including Wnt signalling, cell communication and transcriptional control pathways (Vernes 2011).

We aim to further investigate the regulatory activity downstream of Foxp2, however we will not simply focus on individual target genes, but build on the existing knowledge to approach the question at the level of the gene network and functional pathway. The most strongly validated functional pathway identified downstream of Foxp2 is neurite outgrowth (Vernes 2011).

During development, neurons must form an exquisite network of highly specific connections. Our previous work was able to show that the presence of endogenous Foxp2 in neurons of the developing striatum, a region known to be involved in language processing in the human brain, had a significant effect on the outgrowths of those neurons (neurites) and the branching of these neurites (Vernes 2011).

We are now following up this finding by investigating more closely the consequences of this neurite outgrowth regulation for language related areas of the developing brain.