In a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome, we investigated the processing of tactile stimuli in the somatosensory system.

Fmr1 KO mice have deficits in the encoding of the tactile stimulation frequency.

They also display an increase in the size of the tactile receptive fields in the somatosensory cortex.

In a tactile dependent behavioral task, the KO animals reduced the whisker touch-time.

The cortical deficits could explain the observed behavioral phenotype, suggestive of tactile hypersensitivity.