In:
Developmental Neuroscience, S. Karger AG, Vol. 35, No. 1 ( 2013), p. 50-68
Abstract:
The current study investigated the behavioral and neuroanatomical effects of embryonic knockdown of the candidate dyslexia susceptibility gene (CDSG) homolog 〈 i 〉 Dyx1c1 〈 /i 〉 through RNA interference (RNAi) in rats. Specifically, we examined long-term effects on visual attention abilities in male rats, in addition to assessing rapid and complex auditory processing abilities in male and, for the first time, female rats. Our results replicated prior evidence of complex acoustic processing deficits in 〈 i 〉 Dyx1c1 〈 /i 〉 male rats and revealed new evidence of comparable deficits in 〈 i 〉 Dyx1c1 〈 /i 〉 female rats. Moreover, we found new evidence that knocking down 〈 i 〉 Dyx1c1 〈 /i 〉 produced orthogonal impairments in visual attention in the male subgroup. Stereological analyses of male brains from prior RNAi studies revealed that, despite consistent visible evidence of disruptions of neuronal migration (i.e., heterotopia), knockdown of 〈 i 〉 Dyx1c1 〈 /i 〉 did not significantly alter the cortical volume, hippocampal volume, or midsagittal area of the corpus callosum (measured in a separate cohort of like-treated 〈 i 〉 Dyx1c1 〈 /i 〉 male rats). 〈 i 〉 Dyx1c1 〈 /i 〉 transfection did, however, lead to significant changes in medial geniculate nucleus (MGN) anatomy, with a significant shift to smaller MGN neurons in 〈 i 〉 Dyx1c1 〈 /i 〉 -transfected animals. Combined results provide important information about the impact of 〈 i 〉 Dyx1c1 〈 /i 〉 on behavioral functions that parallel domains known to be affected in language-impaired populations as well as information about widespread changes to the brain following early disruption of this CDSG.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0378-5866
,
1421-9859
Language:
English
Publisher:
S. Karger AG
Publication Date:
2013
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1482201-5
