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ASD-relevant Animal Models of the Foxp Family of Transcription Factors

J. Michael Bowers and Genevieve Konopka*

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a multifaceted association between genes and the environment. Currently, in the majority of patients, the etiology of autism is not known and coupled with increasing prevalence rates, along with the high degree of heritability of autism, the development of animal models is crucial for studying and developing therapies for autism. A key characteristic of autism is marked abnormalities in the acquisition and use of language. Thus, to understand and ultimately treat autism is an especially difficult task because no animal produces language, as it is defined in humans. In this review, we will discuss the FOXP family of genes, which are a group of transcription factors that have been linked to both autism, as well as language in humans. Due to the association of language/communication and the Foxp family of transcription factors, animal models with targeted disruptions of Foxp functioning are powerful tools for understanding the developmental signaling pathways that may be vulnerable in autism.