Exploring a genetic basis for disordered speech and language: FOXP2 mutations and striatal neurons

Welcome to the 14th episode of The Brain Podcast - the official podcast of the journals Brain and Brain Communications. 

In this episode we speak with Fu-Chin Liu, senior author of the article entitled: Speech- and language-linked FOXP2 mutation targets protein motors in striatal neurons. 

This article explores a potential genetic basis for disordered speech by a mutation in the transcription factor FOXP2. This was discovered in KE family members with speech disturbances was a landmark example of the genetic control of vocal communication in humans. The author and colleagues examine an animal model of the KE family FOXP2R553H mutation to explore cellular pathomechanisms involving intracellular dynein-dynactin ‘protein motors’ in the striatum.

Check out the full article on the Brain website: https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awad090

We also hear from our new podcast host, Dr Chaitra Sathyaprakash, who is a post-doctoral fellow at National Institute of Neuroscience, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan- welcome to the team!

This episode was co-hosted by Adam Handel and Chaitra Sathyaprakash,  edited and produced by Xin You Tai, co-produced by Antonia Johnston, original music by Ammar Al-Chalabi.