Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language01:10

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Pleiotropy01:33

Pleiotropy

Pleiotropy is the phenomenon in which a single gene impacts multiple, seemingly unrelated phenotypic traits. For example, defects in the SOX10 gene cause Waardenburg Syndrome Type 4, or WS4, which can cause defects in pigmentation, hearing impairments, and an absence of intestinal contractions necessary for elimination. This diversity of phenotypes results from the expression pattern of SOX10 in early embryonic and fetal development. SOX10 is found in neural crest cells that form melanocytes,...
Genetic Lingo01:11

Genetic Lingo

Overview
Introduction to Language of Pathophysiology l01:25

Introduction to Language of Pathophysiology l

Pathophysiology investigates how biological mechanisms—typically starting at the cellular level—disrupt normal bodily functions. It bridges anatomy and physiology to explain the progression of disease. With this foundation, it is important to understand the following key terms used to describe disease processes: Diagnosis:The process of identifying a disease using clinical evaluation, including signs (objective evidence like rashes), symptoms (subjective experiences like pain), laboratory test...
Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps01:23

Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps

The gene expression in cells is regulated at different stages: (i) transcription, (ii) RNA processing, (iii) RNA localization, and (iv) translation. Transcriptional regulation is mediated by regulatory proteins such as transcription factors, activators, or repressors—these control gene expression by initiating or inhibiting the transcription of genes. Once a precursor or pre-mRNA is produced, it undergoes post-transcriptional modification, including 5' capping, splicing, and the addition of a...
Components of Language01:24

Components of Language

Language, whether spoken, signed, or written, consists of specific components: lexicon and grammar. The lexicon is the vocabulary of a language, comprising its words. Grammar is the set of rules used to convey meaning through the lexicon. For example, English grammar adds “-ed” to most verbs to indicate past tense. Words are formed by combining phonemes, which are the basic sound units of a language. Different languages have different sets of phonemes (e.g., “ah” vs. “eh”). Phonemes combine to...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Conserved sleep disturbances in FOXP1 syndrome originate from developmental dysregulation of peptidergic signaling.

The Journal of clinical investigation·2026
Same author

Patterns of language and visuospatial lateralisation in three-year-old children.

Neuropsychologia·2026
Same author

Structural and functional brain asymmetry in relation to heterogeneous causes of situs inversus totalis.

Brain structure & function·2026
Same author

Genetic underpinnings of chills from art and music.

PLoS genetics·2026
Same author

Whole-exome sequencing in children with dyslexia implicates rare variants in CLDN3 and ion channel genes.

Human genetics·2025
Same author

Evaluating the effects of archaic protein-altering variants in living human adults.

Science advances·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Investigating Protein-protein Interactions in Live Cells Using Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer
11:46

Investigating Protein-protein Interactions in Live Cells Using Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer

Published on: May 26, 2014

FOXP2 as a molecular window into speech and language.

Simon E Fisher1, Constance Scharff

  • 1Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK. simon.fisher@well.ox.ac.uk

Trends in Genetics : TIG
|March 24, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Rare FOXP2 gene mutations cause speech and language deficits. This gene is crucial for neural circuit plasticity, impacting motor skills and vocal learning across species.

More Related Videos

Dissecting Cell-Autonomous Function of Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein in an Auditory Circuit by In Ovo Electroporation
11:10

Dissecting Cell-Autonomous Function of Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein in an Auditory Circuit by In Ovo Electroporation

Published on: July 6, 2022

Radioactive in situ Hybridization for Detecting Diverse Gene Expression Patterns in Tissue
17:38

Radioactive in situ Hybridization for Detecting Diverse Gene Expression Patterns in Tissue

Published on: April 27, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Investigating Protein-protein Interactions in Live Cells Using Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer
11:46

Investigating Protein-protein Interactions in Live Cells Using Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer

Published on: May 26, 2014

Dissecting Cell-Autonomous Function of Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein in an Auditory Circuit by In Ovo Electroporation
11:10

Dissecting Cell-Autonomous Function of Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein in an Auditory Circuit by In Ovo Electroporation

Published on: July 6, 2022

Radioactive in situ Hybridization for Detecting Diverse Gene Expression Patterns in Tissue
17:38

Radioactive in situ Hybridization for Detecting Diverse Gene Expression Patterns in Tissue

Published on: April 27, 2012

Area of Science:

  • Neurogenetics
  • Developmental neuroscience
  • Speech and language disorders

Background:

  • Rare mutations in the FOXP2 gene lead to monogenic syndromes with speech and linguistic impairments.
  • Genomic studies reveal FOXP2's downstream targets influence common language impairments, connecting distinct disorders.
  • The evolutionary conservation of FOXP2 enables the study of ancestral pathways in human speech using animal models.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of FOXP2 in neural mechanisms underlying human spoken language.
  • To explore how FOXP2 influences synaptic plasticity and motor skill learning.
  • To examine FOXP2's impact on vocal learning in animal models.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of rare FOXP2 mutations and their associated speech deficits.
  • Genomic investigations into FOXP2's downstream neural targets.
  • Comparative studies using animal models (mice and songbirds) to assess FoxP2 function.
  • Examination of synaptic plasticity and motor-skill learning in mice with reduced FoxP2 dosage.
  • Assessment of vocal learning disruptions in songbirds with altered FoxP2 levels.

Main Results:

  • Reduced FoxP2 dosage in mice results in abnormal synaptic plasticity and impaired motor-skill learning.
  • FoxP2 disruption in songbirds leads to deficits in vocal learning.
  • Converging evidence suggests Foxp2 plays a key role in modulating the plasticity of neural circuits relevant to language.
  • FOXP2's downstream targets have broader implications for common language impairments.

Conclusions:

  • FOXP2 is a critical gene for the neural basis of spoken language.
  • The gene's role in modulating neural circuit plasticity is conserved across vertebrates.
  • This research provides functional genetic insights into the neural mechanisms of human speech and language development.