Tbx1, a 22q11.2-encoded gene, is a link between alterations in fimbria myelination and cognitive speed in mice

Copy number variants (CNVs) have provided a reliable entry point to identify structural correlates of atypical cognitive development. Hemizygous deletion of human chromosome 22q11.2 is associated with impaired cognitive function; however, the mechanisms by which numerous genes encoded in this CNV contribute to cognitive deficits via diverse structural alterations in the brain remain unclear. This study aimed to determine the cellular basis of the link between alterations in brain structure and cognitive functions in a mouse model. The heterozygosity of Tbx1, a 22q11.2 gene, altered the composition of myelinated axons in the fimbria, reduced oligodendrocyte production capacity, and slowed the acquisition of spatial memory and cognitive flexibility. Our findings provide a cellular basis for specific cognitive dysfunctions that occur in patients with loss-of-function TBX1 variants and 22q11.2 hemizygous deletion.