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Morgan AT, Coleman B, Vogel AP, McNeill A, Robinson PN. Speech and language classification in the human phenotype ontology. Eur J Hum Genet 2024:10.1038/s41431-024-01635-6. [PMID: 38951652 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-024-01635-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Angela T Morgan
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
- Speech Pathology, School of Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Ben Coleman
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Adam P Vogel
- Speech Pathology, School of Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Alisdair McNeill
- Division of Neuroscience & Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Peter N Robinson
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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2
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Ullman MT, Clark GM, Pullman MY, Lovelett JT, Pierpont EI, Jiang X, Turkeltaub PE. The neuroanatomy of developmental language disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nat Hum Behav 2024; 8:962-975. [PMID: 38491094 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-01843-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Developmental language disorder (DLD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder with adverse impacts that continue into adulthood. However, its neural bases remain unclear. Here we address this gap by systematically identifying and quantitatively synthesizing neuroanatomical studies of DLD using co-localization likelihood estimation, a recently developed neuroanatomical meta-analytic technique. Analyses of structural brain data (22 peer-reviewed papers, 577 participants) revealed highly consistent anomalies only in the basal ganglia (100% of participant groups in which this structure was examined, weighted by group sample sizes; 99.8% permutation-based likelihood the anomaly clustering was not due to chance). These anomalies were localized specifically to the anterior neostriatum (again 100% weighted proportion and 99.8% likelihood). As expected given the task dependence of activation, functional neuroimaging data (11 peer-reviewed papers, 414 participants) yielded less consistency, though anomalies again occurred primarily in the basal ganglia (79.0% and 95.1%). Multiple sensitivity analyses indicated that the patterns were robust. The meta-analyses elucidate the neuroanatomical signature of DLD, and implicate the basal ganglia in particular. The findings support the procedural circuit deficit hypothesis of DLD, have basic research and translational implications for the disorder, and advance our understanding of the neuroanatomy of language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael T Ullman
- Brain and Language Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA.
| | - Gillian M Clark
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mariel Y Pullman
- Brain and Language Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA
- Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jarrett T Lovelett
- Brain and Language Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth I Pierpont
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Xiong Jiang
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA
| | - Peter E Turkeltaub
- Center for Brain Plasticity and Recovery, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA
- Research Division, MedStar National Rehabilitation Network, Washington DC, USA
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3
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Morison LD, Van Reyk O, Baker E, Ruaud L, Couque N, Verloes A, Amor DJ, Morgan AT. Beyond 'speech delay': Expanding the phenotype of BRPF1-related disorder. Eur J Med Genet 2024; 68:104923. [PMID: 38346666 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2024.104923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Pathogenic variants in BRPF1 cause intellectual disability, ptosis and facial dysmorphism. Speech and language deficits have been identified as a manifestation of BRPF1-related disorder but have not been systematically characterized. We provide a comprehensive delineation of speech and language abilities in BRPF1-related disorder and expand the phenotype. Speech and language, and health and medical history were assessed in 15 participants (male = 10, median age = 7 years 4 months) with 14 BRPF1 variants. Language disorders were common (11/12), and most had mild to moderate deficits across receptive, expressive, written, and social-pragmatic domains. Speech disorders were frequent (7/9), including phonological delay (6/9) and disorder (3/9), and childhood apraxia of speech (3/9). All those tested for cognitive abilities had a FSIQ ≥70 (4/4). Participants had vision impairment (13/15), fine (8/15) and gross motor delay (10/15) which often resolved in later childhood, infant feeding impairment (8/15), and infant hypotonia (9/15). We have implicated BRPF1-related disorder as causative for speech and language disorder, including childhood apraxia of speech. Adaptive behavior and cognition were strengths when compared to other monogenic neurodevelopmental chromatin-related disorders. The universal involvement of speech and language impairment is noteable, relative to the high degree of phenotypic variability in BRPF1-related disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lottie D Morison
- Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia; Speech and Language, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Australia.
| | - Olivia Van Reyk
- Speech and Language, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Australia.
| | - Emma Baker
- Speech and Language, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Australia; School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia.
| | - Lyse Ruaud
- Department of Genetics, APHP-Robert Debré University Hospital, Paris, France; INSERM UMR1141, Neurodiderot, University of Paris Cité, Paris, France.
| | - Nathalie Couque
- Department of Genetics, APHP-Robert Debré University Hospital, Paris, France; Département de Génétique - UF de Génétique Moléculaire, Hôpital Robert Debré, Paris, France.
| | - Alain Verloes
- Department of Genetics, APHP-Robert Debré University Hospital, Paris, France; Medical School, Paris Cité University, Paris, France.
| | - David J Amor
- Speech and Language, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia; Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia.
| | - Angela T Morgan
- Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia; Speech and Language, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Australia; Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia.
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4
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He BH, Yang YH, Hsiao BW, Lin WT, Chuang YF, Chen SY, Liu FC. Foxp2 Is Required for Nucleus Accumbens-mediated Multifaceted Limbic Function. Neuroscience 2024; 542:33-46. [PMID: 38354901 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The forkhead box protein P2 (Foxp2), initially identified for its role in speech and language development, plays an important role in neural development. Previous studies investigated the function of the Foxp2 gene by deleting or mutating Foxp2 from developmental stages. Little is known about its physiological function in adult brains. Although Foxp2 has been well studied in the dorsal striatum, its function in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of the ventral striatum remains elusive. Here, we examine the physiological function of Foxp2 in NAc of mouse brains. We conditionally knocked out Foxp2 by microinjections of AAV-EGFP-Cre viruses into the medial shell of NAc of Foxp2 floxed (cKO) mice. Immunostaining showed increased c-Fos positive cells in cKO NAc at basal levels, suggesting an abnormality in Foxp2-deficient NAc cells. Unbiased behavioral profiling of Foxp2 cKO mice showed abnormalities in limbic-associated function. Foxp2 cKO mice exhibited abnormal social novelty without preference for interaction with strangers and familiar mice. In appetitive reward learning, Foxp2 cKO mice failed to learn the time expectancy of food delivery. In fear learning, Foxp2 cKO mice exhibited abnormal increases in freezing levels in response to tone paired with foot shock during fear conditioning. The extinction of the fear response was also altered in Foxp2 cKO mice. In contrast, conditional knockout of Foxp2 in NAc did not affect locomotion, motor coordination, thermal pain sensation, anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. Collectively, our study suggests that Foxp2 has a multifaceted physiological role in NAc in the regulation of limbic function in the adult brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Han He
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Hui Yang
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304, Taiwan
| | - Bo-Wen Hsiao
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304, Taiwan
| | - Wan-Ting Lin
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Fang Chuang
- Institute of Public Health, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Yun Chen
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304, Taiwan
| | - Fu-Chin Liu
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304, Taiwan.
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5
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Kuo HY, Chen SY, Huang RC, Takahashi H, Lee YH, Pang HY, Wu CH, Graybiel AM, Liu FC. Speech- and language-linked FOXP2 mutation targets protein motors in striatal neurons. Brain 2023; 146:3542-3557. [PMID: 37137515 PMCID: PMC10393416 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Human speech and language are among the most complex motor and cognitive abilities. The discovery of a mutation in the transcription factor FOXP2 in KE family members with speech disturbances has been a landmark example of the genetic control of vocal communication in humans. Cellular mechanisms underlying this control have remained unclear. By leveraging FOXP2 mutation/deletion mouse models, we found that the KE family FOXP2R553H mutation directly disables intracellular dynein-dynactin 'protein motors' in the striatum by induction of a disruptive high level of dynactin1 that impairs TrkB endosome trafficking, microtubule dynamics, dendritic outgrowth and electrophysiological activity in striatal neurons alongside vocalization deficits. Dynactin1 knockdown in mice carrying FOXP2R553H mutations rescued these cellular abnormalities and improved vocalization. We suggest that FOXP2 controls vocal circuit formation by regulating protein motor homeostasis in striatal neurons, and that its disruption could contribute to the pathophysiology of FOXP2 mutation/deletion-associated speech disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Ying Kuo
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304, Taiwan
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Yun Chen
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304, Taiwan
| | - Rui-Chi Huang
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304, Taiwan
| | - Hiroshi Takahashi
- Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization, Tottori Medical Center, Tottori 689-0203, Japan
| | - Yen-Hui Lee
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304, Taiwan
| | - Hao-Yu Pang
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Hsi Wu
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304, Taiwan
| | - Ann M Graybiel
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Fu-Chin Liu
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304, Taiwan
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6
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Patoori S, Barnada SM, Large C, Murray JI, Trizzino M. Young transposable elements rewired gene regulatory networks in human and chimpanzee hippocampal intermediate progenitors. Development 2022; 149:dev200413. [PMID: 36052683 PMCID: PMC9641669 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The hippocampus is associated with essential brain functions, such as learning and memory. Human hippocampal volume is significantly greater than expected compared with that of non-human apes, suggesting a recent expansion. Intermediate progenitors, which are able to undergo multiple rounds of proliferative division before a final neurogenic division, may have played a role in evolutionary hippocampal expansion. To investigate the evolution of gene regulatory networks underpinning hippocampal neurogenesis in apes, we leveraged the differentiation of human and chimpanzee induced pluripotent stem cells into TBR2 (or EOMES)-positive hippocampal intermediate progenitor cells (hpIPCs). We found that the gene networks active in hpIPCs are significantly different between humans and chimpanzees, with ∼2500 genes being differentially expressed. We demonstrate that species-specific transposon-derived enhancers contribute to these transcriptomic differences. Young transposons, predominantly endogenous retroviruses and SINE-Vntr-Alus (SVAs), were co-opted as enhancers in a species-specific manner. Human-specific SVAs provided substrates for thousands of novel TBR2-binding sites, and CRISPR-mediated repression of these SVAs attenuated the expression of ∼25% of the genes that are upregulated in human intermediate progenitors relative to the same cell population in the chimpanzee.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sruti Patoori
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Samantha M. Barnada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Christopher Large
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - John I. Murray
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Marco Trizzino
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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7
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Thompson-Lake DGY, Scerri TS, Block S, Turner SJ, Reilly S, Kefalianos E, Bonthrone AF, Helbig I, Bahlo M, Scheffer IE, Hildebrand MS, Liégeois FJ, Morgan AT. Atypical development of Broca's area in a large family with inherited stuttering. Brain 2021; 145:1177-1188. [PMID: 35296891 PMCID: PMC9724773 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmental stuttering is a condition of speech dysfluency, characterized by pauses, blocks, prolongations and sound or syllable repetitions. It affects around 1% of the population, with potential detrimental effects on mental health and long-term employment. Accumulating evidence points to a genetic aetiology, yet gene-brain associations remain poorly understood due to a lack of MRI studies in affected families. Here we report the first neuroimaging study of developmental stuttering in a family with autosomal dominant inheritance of persistent stuttering. We studied a four-generation family, 16 family members were included in genotyping analysis. T1-weighted and diffusion-weighted MRI scans were conducted on seven family members (six male; aged 9-63 years) with two age and sex matched controls without stuttering (n = 14). Using Freesurfer, we analysed cortical morphology (cortical thickness, surface area and local gyrification index) and basal ganglia volumes. White matter integrity in key speech and language tracts (i.e. frontal aslant tract and arcuate fasciculus) was also analysed using MRtrix and probabilistic tractography. We identified a significant age by group interaction effect for cortical thickness in the left hemisphere pars opercularis (Broca's area). In affected family members this region failed to follow the typical trajectory of age-related thinning observed in controls. Surface area analysis revealed the middle frontal gyrus region was reduced bilaterally in the family (all cortical morphometry significance levels set at a vertex-wise threshold of P < 0.01, corrected for multiple comparisons). Both the left and right globus pallidus were larger in the family than in the control group (left P = 0.017; right P = 0.037), and a larger right globus pallidus was associated with more severe stuttering (rho = 0.86, P = 0.01). No white matter differences were identified. Genotyping identified novel loci on chromosomes 1 and 4 that map with the stuttering phenotype. Our findings denote disruption within the cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical network. The lack of typical development of these structures reflects the anatomical basis of the abnormal inhibitory control network between Broca's area and the striatum underpinning stuttering in these individuals. This is the first evidence of a neural phenotype in a family with an autosomal dominantly inherited stuttering.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas S Scerri
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville 3052, Australia,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville 305, Australia
| | - Susan Block
- Discipline of Speech Pathology, School of Allied Health, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, Bundoora 3086, Australia
| | - Samantha J Turner
- Speech and Language, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville 3052, Australia
| | - Sheena Reilly
- Speech and Language, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville 3052, Australia,Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport 4215, Australia
| | - Elaina Kefalianos
- Speech and Language, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville 3052, Australia,Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia
| | | | - Ingo Helbig
- Division of Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104USA,The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104USA,Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104USA,Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104USA
| | - Melanie Bahlo
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville 3052, Australia,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville 305, Australia
| | - Ingrid E Scheffer
- Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg 3084, Australia,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville 3052, Australia,Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville 3052, Australia,Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville 3052, Australia
| | - Michael S Hildebrand
- Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Austin Hospital, Heidelberg 3084, Australia,Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville 3052, Australia
| | | | - Angela T Morgan
- Correspondence to: Angela T. Morgan Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Parkville 3052, Australia E-mail:
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8
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Gubiani MB, Pagliarin KC, McCauley RJ, Keske-Soares M. Dynamic Evaluation of Motor Speech Skill: Adaptation for Brazilian Portuguese. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2021; 93:106114. [PMID: 34237603 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To describe the adaptation of verbal tasks (words) in the Dynamic Evaluation of Motor Speech Skills - DEMSS (Strand et al., 2013; Strand & McCauley, 2019) for subsequent inclusion in an analogous instrument in Brazilian Portuguese (BP). METHODS The adaptation process consisted of six steps. Step 1: Three professionals carried out the translation and back-translation of the test's instructions and background content. Step 2: Two speech-language pathologists (SLP) with expertise in speech-language selected new stimuli for the instrument to make it appropriate for BP. Step 3: Seven expert judges determined the adequacy of test stimuli. Step 4: Eight non-expert judges, children with typical speech development, indicated whether the stimulus words were part of their vocabulary. Step 5: the instrument was administered in 20 children with typical speech development (pilot sample). The results of steps 3, 4 and 5 were examined using Content Validity Ratio. Step 6: Administration of the BP version of the DEMSS in one case of Childhood Apraxia Speech (CAS). RESULTS 269 words were selected by the expert SLP (Step 2). These words were submitted to evaluation for expert judges (Step 3) and 96 of them were considered adequate. These items were then submitted to the child judges (Step 4) to evaluate their knowledge and use of the words, and in the pilot sample (Step 5) to evaluate the production accuracy of a larger group of children. A total of 44 words were selected after analysis of the results of Steps 4 and 5. In Step 6 the patient completed the final version of the BP version of the DEMSS to determine the feasibility of its use in young children with CAS. CONCLUSION The translation, back-translation and evaluations by nativespeaking expert judges during the cross-cultural adaptation process and the application in one children with CAS demonstrate the content validity of the adapted instrument. Then, the BP version of the DEMSS has adequate content validity for the assessment of motor speech skills.
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den Hoed J, Devaraju K, Fisher SE. Molecular networks of the FOXP2 transcription factor in the brain. EMBO Rep 2021; 22:e52803. [PMID: 34260143 PMCID: PMC8339667 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202152803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery of the FOXP2 transcription factor, and its implication in a rare severe human speech and language disorder, has led to two decades of empirical studies focused on uncovering its roles in the brain using a range of in vitro and in vivo methods. Here, we discuss what we have learned about the regulation of FOXP2, its downstream effectors, and its modes of action as a transcription factor in brain development and function, providing an integrated overview of what is currently known about the critical molecular networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joery den Hoed
- Language and Genetics DepartmentMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
- International Max Planck Research School for Language SciencesMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Karthikeyan Devaraju
- Language and Genetics DepartmentMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Simon E Fisher
- Language and Genetics DepartmentMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
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10
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Sanjuán J, Castro-Martínez XH, García-Martí G, González-Fernández J, Sanz-Requena R, Haro JM, Meana JJ, Martí-Bonmatí L, Nacher J, Sebastiá-Ortega N, Gilabert-Juan J, Moltó MD. FOXP2 expression and gray matter density in the male brains of patients with schizophrenia. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 15:1403-1411. [PMID: 32734433 PMCID: PMC8286223 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-020-00339-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Common genetic variants of FOXP2 may contribute to schizophrenia vulnerability, but controversial results have been reported for this proposal. Here we evaluated the potential impact of the common FOXP2 rs2396753 polymorphism in schizophrenia. It was previously reported to be part of a risk haplotype for this disease and to have significant effects on gray matter concentration in the patients. We undertook the first examination into whether rs2396753 affects the brain expression of FOXP2 and a replication study of earlier neuroimaging findings of the influence of this genetic variant on brain structure. FOXP2 expression levels were measured in postmortem prefrontal cortex samples of 84 male subjects (48 patients and 36 controls) from the CIBERSAM Brain and the Stanley Foundation Array Collections. High-resolution anatomical magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 79 male subjects (61 patients, 18 controls) using optimized voxel-based morphometry. We found differences in FOXP2 expression and brain morphometry depending on the rs2396753, relating low FOXP2 mRNA levels with reduction of gray matter density. We detected an interaction between rs2396753 and the clinical groups, showing that heterozygous patients for this polymorphism have gray matter density decrease and low FOXP2 expression comparing with the heterozygous controls. This study shows the importance of independent replication of neuroimaging genetic studies of FOXP2 as a candidate gene in schizophrenia. Furthermore, our results suggest that the FOXP2 rs2396753 affects mRNA levels, thus providing new knowledge about its significance as a potential susceptibility polymorphism in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Sanjuán
- Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health CIBERSAM, Valencia, Spain.,Unit of Psychiatry, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Xochitl Helga Castro-Martínez
- Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,Laboratorio de Genómica de Enfermedades Psiquiátricas y Neurodegenerativas, INMEGEN, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Gracián García-Martí
- Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health CIBERSAM, Valencia, Spain.,Biomedical Engineering Unit / Radiology Department, Quirónsalud Hospital, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Roberto Sanz-Requena
- Biomedical Engineering Unit / Radiology Department, Quirónsalud Hospital, Valencia, Spain
| | - Josep María Haro
- Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health CIBERSAM, Valencia, Spain.,Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Fundació Sant Joan de Deu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J Javier Meana
- Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health CIBERSAM, Valencia, Spain.,Department of Pharmacology, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
| | - Luis Martí-Bonmatí
- Biomedical Engineering Unit / Radiology Department, Quirónsalud Hospital, Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan Nacher
- Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health CIBERSAM, Valencia, Spain.,INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.,Neurobiology Unit, Cell Biology Department, Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Noelia Sebastiá-Ortega
- Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health CIBERSAM, Valencia, Spain.,Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Javier Gilabert-Juan
- Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health CIBERSAM, Valencia, Spain. .,INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico de Valencia, Valencia, Spain. .,Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain. .,Neurobiology Unit, Cell Biology Department, Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain. .,Department of Genetics, Universitat de València, Dr. Moliner 50, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
| | - María Dolores Moltó
- Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health CIBERSAM, Valencia, Spain. .,INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico de Valencia, Valencia, Spain. .,Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain. .,Department of Genetics, Universitat de València, Dr. Moliner 50, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
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11
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Nagy O, Kárteszi J, Elmont B, Ujfalusi A. Case Report: Expressive Speech Disorder in a Family as a Hallmark of 7q31 Deletion Involving the FOXP2 Gene. Front Pediatr 2021; 9:664548. [PMID: 34490154 PMCID: PMC8417935 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2021.664548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic variants of FOXP2 gene were identified first as a monogenic cause of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), a complex disease that is associated with an impairment of the precision and consistency of movements underlying speech, due to deficits in speech motor planning and programming. FOXP2 variants are heterogenous; single nucleotide variants and small insertions/deletions, intragenic and large-scale deletions, as well as disruptions by structural chromosomal aberrations and uniparental disomy of chromosome 7 are the most common types of mutations. FOXP2-related speech and language disorders can be classified as "FOXP2-only," wherein intragenic mutations result in haploinsufficiency of the FOXP2 gene, or "FOXP2-plus" generated by structural genomic variants (i.e., translocation, microdeletion, etc.) and having more likely developmental and behavioral disturbances adjacent to speech and language impairment. The additional phenotypes are usually related to the disruption/deletion of multiple genes neighboring FOXP2 in the affected chromosomal region. We report the clinical and genetic findings in a family with four affected individuals having expressive speech impairment as the dominant symptom and additional mild dysmorphic features in three. A 7.87 Mb interstitial deletion of the 7q31.1q31.31 region was revealed by whole genome diagnostic microarray analysis in the proband. The FOXP2 gene deletion was confirmed by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA), and all family members were screened by this targeted method. The FOXP2 deletion was detected in the mother and two siblings of the proband using MLPA. Higher resolution microarray was performed in all the affected individuals to refine the extent and breakpoints of the 7q31 deletion and to exclude other pathogenic copy number variants. To the best of our knowledge, there are only two family-studies reported to date with interstitial 7q31 deletion and showing the core phenotype of FOXP2 haploinsufficiency. Our study may contribute to a better understanding of the behavioral phenotype of FOXP2 disruptions and aid in the identification of such patients. We illustrate the importance of a targeted MLPA analysis suitable for the detection of FOXP2 deletion in selected cases with a specific phenotype of expressive speech disorder. The "phenotype first" and targeted diagnostic strategy can improve the diagnostic yield of speech disorders in the routine clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orsolya Nagy
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | | | - Beatrix Elmont
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital of Zala County, Zalaegerszeg, Hungary
| | - Anikó Ujfalusi
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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Conti E, Retico A, Palumbo L, Spera G, Bosco P, Biagi L, Fiori S, Tosetti M, Cipriani P, Cioni G, Muratori F, Chilosi A, Calderoni S. Autism Spectrum Disorder and Childhood Apraxia of Speech: Early Language-Related Hallmarks across Structural MRI Study. J Pers Med 2020; 10:E275. [PMID: 33322765 PMCID: PMC7768516 DOI: 10.3390/jpm10040275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) are developmental disorders with distinct diagnostic criteria and different epidemiology. However, a common genetic background as well as overlapping clinical features between ASD and CAS have been recently reported. To date, brain structural language-related abnormalities have been detected in both the conditions, but no study directly compared young children with ASD, CAS and typical development (TD). In the current work, we aim: (i) to test the hypothesis that ASD and CAS display neurostructural differences in comparison with TD through morphometric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-based measures (ASD vs. TD and CAS vs. TD); (ii) to investigate early possible disease-specific brain structural patterns in the two clinical groups (ASD vs. CAS); (iii) to evaluate predictive power of machine-learning (ML) techniques in differentiating the three samples (ASD, CAS, TD). We retrospectively analyzed the T1-weighted brain MRI scans of 68 children (age range: 34-74 months) grouped into three cohorts: (1) 26 children with ASD (mean age ± standard deviation: 56 ± 11 months); (2) 24 children with CAS (57 ± 10 months); (3) 18 children with TD (55 ± 13 months). Furthermore, a ML analysis based on a linear-kernel Support Vector Machine (SVM) was performed. All but one brain structures displayed significant higher volumes in both ASD and CAS children than TD peers. Specifically, ASD alterations involved fronto-temporal regions together with basal ganglia and cerebellum, while CAS alterations are more focused and shifted to frontal regions, suggesting a possible speech-related anomalies distribution. Caudate, superior temporal and hippocampus volumes directly distinguished the two conditions in terms of greater values in ASD compared to CAS. The ML analysis identified significant differences in brain features between ASD and TD children, whereas only some trends in the ML classification capability were detected in CAS as compared to TD peers. Similarly, the MRI structural underpinnings of two clinical groups were not significantly different when evaluated with linear-kernel SVM. Our results may represent the first step towards understanding shared and specific neural substrate in ASD and CAS conditions, which subsequently may contribute to early differential diagnosis and tailoring specific early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Conti
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
| | - Alessandra Retico
- National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), Pisa Division, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (A.R.); (L.P.); (G.S.)
| | - Letizia Palumbo
- National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), Pisa Division, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (A.R.); (L.P.); (G.S.)
| | - Giovanna Spera
- National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), Pisa Division, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (A.R.); (L.P.); (G.S.)
| | - Paolo Bosco
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
| | - Laura Biagi
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
| | - Simona Fiori
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
| | - Michela Tosetti
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
| | - Paola Cipriani
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
| | - Giovanni Cioni
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Filippo Muratori
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Anna Chilosi
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
| | - Sara Calderoni
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy; (E.C.); (P.B.); (L.B.); (S.F.); (M.T.); (P.C.); (G.C.); (F.M.); (A.C.)
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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Co M, Anderson AG, Konopka G. FOXP transcription factors in vertebrate brain development, function, and disorders. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2020; 9:e375. [PMID: 31999079 PMCID: PMC8286808 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
FOXP transcription factors are an evolutionarily ancient protein subfamily coordinating the development of several organ systems in the vertebrate body. Association of their genes with neurodevelopmental disorders has sparked particular interest in their expression patterns and functions in the brain. Here, FOXP1, FOXP2, and FOXP4 are expressed in distinct cell type-specific spatiotemporal patterns in multiple regions, including the cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, basal ganglia, thalamus, and cerebellum. These varied sites and timepoints of expression have complicated efforts to link FOXP1 and FOXP2 mutations to their respective developmental disorders, the former affecting global neural functions and the latter specifically affecting speech and language. However, the use of animal models, particularly those with brain region- and cell type-specific manipulations, has greatly advanced our understanding of how FOXP expression patterns could underlie disorder-related phenotypes. While many questions remain regarding FOXP expression and function in the brain, studies to date have illuminated the roles of these transcription factors in vertebrate brain development and have greatly informed our understanding of human development and disorders. This article is categorized under: Nervous System Development > Vertebrates: General Principles Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Gene Networks and Genomics Nervous System Development > Vertebrates: Regional Development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa Co
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Ashley G Anderson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Genevieve Konopka
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
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den Hoed J, Fisher SE. Genetic pathways involved in human speech disorders. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2020; 65:103-111. [PMID: 32622339 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2020.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Rare genetic variants that disrupt speech development provide entry points for deciphering the neurobiological foundations of key human capacities. The value of this approach is illustrated by FOXP2, a transcription factor gene that was implicated in speech apraxia, and subsequently investigated using human cell-based systems and animal models. Advances in next-generation sequencing, coupled to de novo paradigms, facilitated discovery of etiological variants in additional genes in speech disorder cohorts. As for other neurodevelopmental syndromes, gene-driven studies show blurring of boundaries between diagnostic categories, with some risk genes shared across speech disorders, intellectual disability and autism. Convergent evidence hints at involvement of regulatory genes co-expressed in early human brain development, suggesting that etiological pathways could be amenable for investigation in emerging neural models such as cerebral organoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joery den Hoed
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands; International Max Planck Research School for Language Sciences, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Simon E Fisher
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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15
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Turner SJ, Vogel AP, Parry-Fielder B, Campbell R, Scheffer IE, Morgan AT. Looking to the Future: Speech, Language, and Academic Outcomes in an Adolescent with Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Folia Phoniatr Logop 2019; 71:203-215. [PMID: 31330526 DOI: 10.1159/000500554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The clinical course of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is poorly understood. Of the few longitudinal studies in the field, only one has examined adolescent outcomes in speech, language, and literacy. This study is the first to report long-term speech, language, and academic outcomes in an adolescent, Liam, with CAS. METHODS Speech, language, literacy, and academic outcome data were collected, including 3 research-based assessments. Overall, data were available at 17 time points from 3;10 to 15 years. RESULTS Liam had moderate-to-severe expressive language impairment and poor reading, writing, and spelling up to 10 years. His numeracy was at or above the national average from 8 to 14 years. He made gains in preadolescence, with average expressive language at 11 years and above average reading and writing at 14 years. Nonword reading, reading comprehension, and spelling remained areas of weakness. Receptive language impairment was evident at 13 years, which was an unexpected finding. CONCLUSION Findings from single cases can be hypothesis generating but require verification in larger cohorts. This case shows that at least some children with CAS may gain ground in adolescence, relative to same age peers, in expressive language and academic areas such as reading and writing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J Turner
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia, .,Speech and Language Group, Clinical Sciences Theme, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia,
| | - Adam P Vogel
- Centre for Neuroscience of Speech, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Redenlab, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bronwyn Parry-Fielder
- Department of Speech Pathology, The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Ingrid E Scheffer
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Epilepsy Research Centre, Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Angela T Morgan
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Speech and Language Group, Clinical Sciences Theme, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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16
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Mountford HS, Villanueva P, Fernández MA, Barbieri ZD, Cazier JB, Newbury DF. Candidate gene variant effects on language disorders in Robinson Crusoe Island. Ann Hum Biol 2019; 46:109-119. [DOI: 10.1080/03014460.2019.1622776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hayley S. Mountford
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - Pía Villanueva
- Department of Speech Language and Hearing Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Human Genetics Division, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - María Angélica Fernández
- Department of Speech Language and Hearing Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Zulema De Barbieri
- Department of Speech Language and Hearing Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Dianne F. Newbury
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
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17
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Torres-Ruiz R, Benítez-Burraco A, Martínez-Lage M, Rodríguez-Perales S, García-Bellido P. Functional characterization of two enhancers located downstream FOXP2. BMC MEDICAL GENETICS 2019; 20:65. [PMID: 31046704 PMCID: PMC6498672 DOI: 10.1186/s12881-019-0810-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mutations in the coding region of FOXP2 are known to cause speech and language impairment. However, it is not clear how dysregulation of the gene contributes to language deficit. Interestingly, microdeletions of the region downstream the gene have been associated with cognitive deficits. METHODS Here, we investigate changes in FOXP2 expression in the SK-N-MC neuroblastoma human cell line after deletion by CRISPR-Cas9 of two enhancers located downstream of the gene. RESULTS Deletion of any of these two functional enhancers downregulates FOXP2, but also upregulates the closest 3' gene MDFIC. Because this effect is not statistically significant in a HEK 293 cell line, derived from the human kidney, both enhancers might confer a tissue specific regulation to both genes. We have also found that the deletion of any of these enhancers downregulates six well-known FOXP2 target genes in the SK-N-MC cell line. CONCLUSIONS We expect these findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how FOXP2 and MDFIC are regulated to pace neuronal development supporting cognition, speech and language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raúl Torres-Ruiz
- Molecular Cytogenetics Group, Centro Nacional Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Benítez-Burraco
- Department of Spanish, Linguistics, and Theory of Literature (Linguistics), University of Seville, Seville, Spain.
| | - Marta Martínez-Lage
- Molecular Cytogenetics Group, Centro Nacional Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Paloma García-Bellido
- Faculty of Modern Languages, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Faculty of Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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18
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Liégeois FJ, Turner SJ, Mayes A, Bonthrone AF, Boys A, Smith L, Parry-Fielder B, Mandelstam S, Spencer-Smith M, Bahlo M, Scerri TS, Hildebrand MS, Scheffer IE, Connelly A, Morgan AT. Dorsal language stream anomalies in an inherited speech disorder. Brain 2019; 142:966-977. [DOI: 10.1093/brain/awz018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Samantha J Turner
- The University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC, Australia
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, 50 Flemington Road, Parkville VIC, Australia
| | - Angela Mayes
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, 50 Flemington Road, Parkville VIC, Australia
| | | | - Amber Boys
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, 50 Flemington Road, Parkville VIC, Australia
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, 50 Flemington Rd, Parkville VIC, Australia
| | - Libby Smith
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, 50 Flemington Road, Parkville VIC, Australia
| | | | - Simone Mandelstam
- The University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC, Australia
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, 50 Flemington Road, Parkville VIC, Australia
- Royal Children’s Hospital, 50 Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville VIC, Australia
| | - Megan Spencer-Smith
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, 50 Flemington Road, Parkville VIC, Australia
- Monash University, Scenic Blvd, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Melanie Bahlo
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville VIC, Australia
| | - Tom S Scerri
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville VIC, Australia
| | | | - Ingrid E Scheffer
- The University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC, Australia
- Royal Children’s Hospital, 50 Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville VIC, Australia
| | - Alan Connelly
- The University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC, Australia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, 30 Royal Parade, Parkville VIC, Australia
| | - Angela T Morgan
- The University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC, Australia
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, 50 Flemington Road, Parkville VIC, Australia
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Morgan AT, Webster R. Aetiology of childhood apraxia of speech: A clinical practice update for paediatricians. J Paediatr Child Health 2018; 54:1090-1095. [PMID: 30294994 DOI: 10.1111/jpc.14150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a rare disorder of childhood that can leave a watermark of the impacts throughout the lifetime. Since being first described in the 1950s, aetiological insights have been limited. At a neurobiological level, clinical MRI scans fail to reveal overt neural anomalies in individual cases with CAS, although quantitative MRI methods have revealed subtle brain anomalies at a group level. Dramatic insights, however, occurred in the past decade from the discovery of genetic pathways underlying the phenotype. Several single genes and copy number-variant conditions are now associated with CAS either in relative isolation, as in the case of FOXP2 variants, or most typically in association with other neurodevelopmental conditions, such as epilepsy, intellectual disability, motor impairment and autism. CAS requires careful differential diagnosis from other childhood speech disorders, but when a severe and persistent diagnosis is confirmed, a genetic aetiology should increasingly be pursued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela T Morgan
- Speech and Language, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Richard Webster
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) affects a child's ability to produce sounds and syllables precisely and consistently, and to produce words and sentences with accuracy and correct speech rhythm. It is a rare condition, affecting only 0.1% of the general population. Consensus has been reached that three core features have diagnostic validity: (1) inconsistent error production on both consonants and vowels across repeated productions of syllables or words; (2) lengthened and impaired coarticulatory transitions between sounds and syllables; and (3) inappropriate prosody (ASHA 2007). A deficit in motor programming or planning is thought to underlie the condition. This means that children know what they would like to say but there is a breakdown in the ability to programme or plan the fine and rapid movements required to accurately produce speech. Children with CAS may also have impairments in one or more of the following areas: non-speech oral motor function, dysarthria, language, phonological production impairment, phonemic awareness or metalinguistic skills and literacy, or combinations of these. High-quality evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) is lacking on interventions for CAS. OBJECTIVES To assess the efficacy of interventions targeting speech and language in children and adolescents with CAS as delivered by speech and language pathologists/therapists. SEARCH METHODS We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, eight other databases and seven trial registers up to April 2017. We searched the reference lists of included reports and requested information on unpublished trials from authors of published studies and other experts as well as information groups in the areas of speech and language therapy/pathology and linguistics. SELECTION CRITERIA RCTs and quasi-RCTs of children aged 3 to 16 years with CAS diagnosed by a speech and language pathologist/therapist, grouped by treatment types. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors (FL, AM) independently assessed titles and abstracts identified from the searches and obtained full-text reports of all potentially relevant articles and assessed these for eligibility. The same two authors extracted data and conducted the 'Risk of bias' and GRADE assessments. One review author (EM) tabulated findings from excluded observational studies (Table 1). MAIN RESULTS This review includes only one RCT, funded by the Australian Research Council; the University of Sydney International Development Fund; Douglas and Lola Douglas Scholarship on Child and Adolescent Health; Nadia Verrall Memorial Scholarship; and a James Kentley Memorial Fellowship. This study recruited 26 children aged 4 to 12 years, with mild to moderate CAS of unknown cause, and compared two interventions: the Nuffield Dyspraxia Programme-3 (NDP-3); and the Rapid Syllable Transitions Treatment (ReST). Children were allocated randomly to one of the two treatments. Treatments were delivered intensively in one-hour sessions, four days a week for three weeks, in a university clinic in Australia. Speech pathology students delivered the treatments in the English language. Outcomes were assessed before therapy, immediately after therapy, at one month and four months post-therapy. Our review looked at one-month post-therapy outcomes only.We judged all core outcome domains to be low risk of bias. We downgraded the quality of the evidence by one level to moderate due to imprecision, given that only one RCT was identified. Both the NDP-3 and ReST therapies demonstrated improvement at one month post-treatment. A number of cases in each cohort had recommenced usual treatment by their speech and language pathologist between one month and four months post-treatment (NDP-3: 9/13 participants; ReST: 9/13 participants). Hence, maintenance of treatment effects to four months post-treatment could not be analysed without significant potential bias, and thus this time point was not included for further analysis in this review.There is limited evidence that, when delivered intensively, both the NDP-3 and ReST may effect improvement in word accuracy in 4- to 12-year-old children with CAS, measured by the accuracy of production on treated and non-treated words, speech production consistency and the accuracy of connected speech. The study did not measure functional communication. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS There is limited evidence that, when delivered intensively, both the NDP-3 and ReST may effect improvement in word accuracy in 4- to 12-year-old children with CAS, measured by the accuracy of production on treated and non-treated words, speech production consistency and the accuracy of connected speech. The study did not measure functional communication. No formal analyses were conducted to compare NDP-3 and ReST by the original study authors, hence one treatment cannot be reliably advocated over the other. We are also unable to say whether either treatment is better than no treatment or treatment as usual. No evidence currently exists to support the effectiveness of other treatments for children aged 4 to 12 years with idiopathic CAS without other comorbid neurodevelopmental disorders. Further RCTs replicating this study would strengthen the evidence base. Similarly, further RCTs are needed of other interventions, in other age ranges and populations with CAS and with co-occurring disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela T Morgan
- Murdoch Children's Research InstituteFlemington RoadParkvilleVictoriaAustralia3052
- The University of MelbourneDepartment of Audiology and Speech PathologyMelbourneVictoriaAustralia3053
| | - Elizabeth Murray
- The University of SydneyFaculty of Health Sciences75 East StreetLidcombeNew South WalesAustralia1825
| | - Frederique J Liégeois
- University College LondonInstitute of Child Health30 Guilford StreetLondonUKWC1N 1EH
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Shriberg LD, Strand EA, Fourakis M, Jakielski KJ, Hall SD, Karlsson HB, Mabie HL, McSweeny JL, Tilkens CM, Wilson DL. A Diagnostic Marker to Discriminate Childhood Apraxia of Speech From Speech Delay: I. Development and Description of the Pause Marker. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2017; 60:S1096-S1117. [PMID: 28384779 PMCID: PMC5548086 DOI: 10.1044/2016_jslhr-s-15-0296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2015] [Revised: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 08/21/2016] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Purpose The goal of this article (PM I) is to describe the rationale for and development of the Pause Marker (PM), a single-sign diagnostic marker proposed to discriminate early or persistent childhood apraxia of speech from speech delay. Method The authors describe and prioritize 7 criteria with which to evaluate the research and clinical utility of a diagnostic marker for childhood apraxia of speech, including evaluation of the present proposal. An overview is given of the Speech Disorders Classification System, including extensions completed in the same approximately 3-year period in which the PM was developed. Results The finalized Speech Disorders Classification System includes a nosology and cross-classification procedures for childhood and persistent speech disorders and motor speech disorders (Shriberg, Strand, & Mabie, 2017). A PM is developed that provides procedural and scoring information, and citations to papers and technical reports that include audio exemplars of the PM and reference data used to standardize PM scores are provided. Conclusions The PM described here is an acoustic-aided perceptual sign that quantifies one aspect of speech precision in the linguistic domain of phrasing. This diagnostic marker can be used to discriminate early or persistent childhood apraxia of speech from speech delay.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kathy J. Jakielski
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Augustana College, Rock Island, IL
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