国外FOXP2基因及其语言相关性研究二十年

A review of the studies of the FOXP2 gene and its relevance to language in the past two decades

FOXP2基因是人类发现与语言相关的第一个基因,自其发现以来已有二十年,并已成为国外有关语言神经生物研究的热点。文章基于最新研究文献从语言习得障碍、语言处理的神经认知基础以及语言进化三个维度系统地梳理了FOXP2与语言相关性研究的历程和现状,对研究中出现的问题和不足予以反思,并对该研究的发展趋势进行了展望。FOXP2是与人类语言活动相关的一个潜在基因,对其认识使得人类第一次从生物分子角度研究与语言相关的基因级联和神经回路,但其对语言的确切作用还有待进一步研究。

FOXP2,the first gene identified as related to the human ability of language development,has been a focus of neuropathological and biological investigation over the past two decades.This paper provides a systematical overview of the research on this gene from the perspective of language acquisition,neurocognitive basis of language processing and language evolution.Problems and deficits in its study are raised for reconsideration,and the future direction of its research is suggested too.As a potential gene related to human speech and language,FOXP2,whose exact function has not yet been clarified,can help to investigate and understand genetic cascades,regulatory neural pathways,and language circuitry from the perspective of biomolecule.