Understanding circuitry development and plasticity in normal and abnormal brains is critical for
comprehending brain function and pathologies. The central goal of the proposed research is to identify
the roles of the fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) in the development of the neuronal structure
and neuronal connectivity in the auditory pathways responsible for spatial hearing in the embryonic
brainstem. We will characterize the developmental profile of FMRP in genetically labeled dA1
cells, the precursors of excitatory auditory neurons and determine how knockdown and overexpression of FMRP expression affect axon projections and synaptic connectivity of dA1 cells. These studies will significantly advance our understanding of the roles of FMRP in vertebrate neuronal circuit development and disease, and provide promising new directions for diagnosis and treatment.
