A common genetic variant inFOXP2is associated with language-based learning (dis)abilities: Evidence from two Italian independent samples

What is it about?

We tested the effect of a FOXP2 common variant, that is, rs6980093 (A/G), on quantitative measures of language and reading in two independent Italian samples: a population-based cohort of 699 subjects (3–11 years old) and a sample of 572 children with DD (6–18 years old).

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Why is it important?

rs6980093 modulates expressive language in the general population sample, with an effect on fluency scores. In the DD sample, the variant showed an association with the accuracy in the single word reading task. rs6980093 shows distinct genetic models of associationin the two cohorts, with a dominant effect of the G allele in the general population sample and heterozygote advantage in the DD cohort.

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