'Humanized gene' helps mice learn faster, study finds

Mice that receive a "humanized" version of a speech and language gene show accelerated learning, a new study said on Monday.

Foxp2 is one of several genes that scientists believe may have been linked to human speech and language. Humans carrying only one functional copy of this gene have difficulty with learning and performing complex orofacial movements and have receptive and expressive deficits in oral and written language.

Chimps also have a version of Foxp2, but it differs from the human version by two amino acids because a gene mutation has occurred since the human and chimpanzee lineages separated about 6 million years ago.