We are submitting this project proposal to obtain approval to analyse an additional gene for the project "An investigation of language-impairment and dyslexia associated SNPs within the general population".

We are proposing to include in our analysis the CNTNAP2 gene. This gene has recently been associated with language abilities in separate samples of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. We have replicated the associations in our sample of families affected by SLI. This gene is located at 7q36 within the AUTS1 locus where several studies have mapped linkage to autism.

The panel of markers selected for the CNTNAP2 is listed at the end of the Appendix together to the other markers already approved for this project. The genotyping will be performed through the Sequenom system using the ALSPAC DNA samples we already have in our laboratory. Due to multiplex assays' constraints alternative markers might be selected to screen the listed genes. The statistical analysis we plan to perform is based on very standard single marker association approaches and will be very similar to what we conducted for the KIAA0319 gene.