title: Lateralization of gene expression in human language cortex.
abstract: Lateralization is an important aspect of the functional brain architecture for language and other cognitive faculties. The molecular genetic basis of human brain lateralization is unknown, and recent studies have suggested that gene expression in the cerebral cortex is bilaterally symmetrical. Here we have re-analyzed two transcriptomic datasets derived from post mortem human cerebral cortex, with a specific focus on superior temporal and auditory language cortex in adults. We applied an empirical Bayes approach to model differential left-right expression, together with gene ontology (GO) analysis and meta-analysis. There was robust and reproducible lateralization of individual genes and GO groups that are likely to fine-tune the electrophysiological and neurotransmission properties of cortical circuits, most notably synaptic transmission, nervous system development and glutamate receptor activity. Our findings anchor the cerebral biology of language to the molecular genetic level. Future research in model systems may determine how these molecular signatures of neurophysiological lateralization effect fine-tuning of cerebral cortical function, differently in the two hemispheres.
authors: Language & Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors: Guy
authors: G
authors: Karlebach
authors: Language & Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: clyde.francks@mpi.nl.
authors: Clyde
authors: C
authors: Francks
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism*; D059467:Transcriptome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: Cerebral cortex; Gene expression; Lateralization