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Giannouli V, Milienos FS. Do sex and handedness influence general cognition and financial capacity in patients with aMCI and healthy older adults? Emphasis on women's performance. Porto Biomed J 2024; 9:258. [PMID: 38993949 PMCID: PMC11236399 DOI: 10.1097/j.pbj.0000000000000258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives The effects of sex and handedness on financial capacity performance remain unexplored both in healthy older adults and in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Methods The aim of this study was to study the effect of the above factors (sex, handedness, and health condition), following a factorial experimental design; hence, eight groups (each with ten individuals) with similar demographic characteristics (age and education level) were formed consisting of right/left-handed, women/men and healthy/not healthy (with a diagnosis of aMCI) older adults. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was administered as a measure of general cognitive ability, and Legal Capacity for Property Law Transactions Assessment Scale (LCPLTAS) was used as an indicator of financial capacity; moreover, GDS-15 was used to assess depressive symptomatology. Self-reports of hand preference were also included. Results Although as expected healthy men and women regardless of their handedness outperformed aMCI patients on MMSE and LCPLTAS, performance on cash transactions, bank statement management, bill payment, financial decision making, and knowledge of personal assets from LCPLTAS is significantly higher for right-handed aMCI women compared with left-handed aMCI women. Conclusions Future research should further elucidate the reasons for this left-handed female patient with aMCI profile in larger groups of patients. This is an exploratory study, and the small sample size limits the strength of conclusions; further studies on this topic are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaitsa Giannouli
- School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Fotios S. Milienos
- Department of Sociology, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Athens, Greece
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Ocklenburg S, Mundorf A, Gerrits R, Karlsson EM, Papadatou-Pastou M, Vingerhoets G. Clinical implications of brain asymmetries. Nat Rev Neurol 2024; 20:383-394. [PMID: 38783057 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-024-00974-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
No two human brains are alike, and with the rise of precision medicine in neurology, we are seeing an increased emphasis on understanding the individual variability in brain structure and function that renders every brain unique. Functional and structural brain asymmetries are a fundamental principle of brain organization, and recent research suggests substantial individual variability in these asymmetries that needs to be considered in clinical practice. In this Review, we provide an overview of brain asymmetries, variations in such asymmetries and their relevance in the clinical context. We review recent findings on brain asymmetries in neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as in specific learning disabilities, with an emphasis on large-scale database studies and meta-analyses. We also highlight the relevance of asymmetries for disease symptom onset in neurodegenerative diseases and their implications for lateralized treatments, including brain stimulation. We conclude that alterations in brain asymmetry are not sufficiently specific to act as diagnostic biomarkers but can serve as meaningful symptom or treatment response biomarkers in certain contexts. On the basis of these insights, we provide several recommendations for neurological clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Department of Psychology, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
- ICAN Institute for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Annakarina Mundorf
- ISM Institute for Systems Medicine and Department of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robin Gerrits
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Ghent Institute for Functional and Metabolic Imaging (GIfMI), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Emma M Karlsson
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Ghent Institute for Functional and Metabolic Imaging (GIfMI), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marietta Papadatou-Pastou
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Guy Vingerhoets
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Ghent Institute for Functional and Metabolic Imaging (GIfMI), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Packheiser J, Papadatou-Pastou M, Koufaki A, Paracchini S, Stein CC, Schmitz J, Ocklenburg S. Elevated levels of mixed-hand preference in dyslexia: Meta-analyses of 68 studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 154:105420. [PMID: 37783301 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Since almost a hundred years, psychologists have investigated the link between hand preference and dyslexia. We present a meta-analysis to determine whether there is indeed an increase in atypical hand preference in dyslexia. We included studies used in two previous meta-analyses (Bishop, 1990; Eglinton & Annett, 1994) as well as studies identified through PubMed MEDLINE, PsycInfo, Google Scholar, and Web of Science up to August 2022. K = 68 studies (n = 4660 individuals with dyslexia; n = 40845 controls) were entered into three random effects meta-analyses using the odds ratio as the effect size (non-right-handers; left-handers; mixed-handers vs. total). Evidence of elevated levels of atypical hand preference in dyslexia emerged that were especially pronounced for mixed-hand preference (OR = 1.57), although this category was underdefined. Differences in (direction or degree) of hand skill or degree of hand preference could not be assessed as no pertinent studies were located. Our findings allow for robust conclusions only for a relationship of mixed-hand preference with dyslexia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Packheiser
- Social Brain Lab, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marietta Papadatou-Pastou
- School of Education, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; BioMedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.
| | - Angeliki Koufaki
- School of Education, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Clara C Stein
- Division of Forensic Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Preventive Medicine, LWL-University Hospital Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Judith Schmitz
- Biological Personality Psychology, Georg-August-University Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Department of Psychology, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany; ICAN Institute for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Papadatou-Pastou M, Papadopoulou AK, Samsouris C, Mundorf A, Valtou MM, Ocklenburg S. Hand Preference in Stuttering: Meta-Analyses. Neuropsychol Rev 2023:10.1007/s11065-023-09617-z. [PMID: 37796428 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-023-09617-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Reduced hemispheric asymmetries, as well as their behavioral manifestation in the form of atypical handedness (i.e., non-right, left-, or mixed-handedness), are linked to neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder, and several psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia. One neurodevelopmental disorder that is associated with reduced hemispheric asymmetries, but for which findings on behavioral laterality are conflicting, is stuttering. Here, we report a series of meta-analyses of studies that report handedness (assessed as hand preference) levels in individuals who stutter (otherwise healthy) compared to controls. For this purpose, articles were identified via a search in PubMed, Scopus, and PsycInfo (13 June 2023). On the basis of k = 52 identified studies totaling n = 2590 individuals who stutter and n = 17,148 controls, five random effects meta-analyses were conducted: four using the odds ratio [left-handers (forced choice); left-handers (extreme); mixed-handers; non-right-handers vs. total)] and one using the standardized difference in means as the effect size. We did not find evidence of a left (extreme)- or mixed-handedness difference or a difference in mean handedness scores, but evidence did emerge, when it came to left-handedness (forced-choice) and (inconclusively for) non-right-handedness. Risk-of-bias analysis was not deemed necessary in the context of these meta-analyses. Differences in hand skill or strength of handedness could not be assessed as no pertinent studies were located. Severity of stuttering could not be used s a moderator, as too few studies broke down their data according to severity. Our findings do not allow for firm conclusions to be drawn on whether stuttering is associated with reduced hemispheric asymmetries, at least when it comes to their behavioral manifestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marietta Papadatou-Pastou
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
- Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.
| | | | - Christos Samsouris
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Annakarina Mundorf
- Institute for Systems Medicine and Department of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Department of Psychology, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- ICAN Institute for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Fischer U, Suggate SP, Stoeger H. Fine motor skills and finger gnosia contribute to preschool children's numerical competencies. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2022; 226:103576. [PMID: 35390583 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Facets of fine motor skills (FMS) and finger gnosia have been reported to predict young children's numerical competencies, possibly by affecting early finger counting experiences. Furthermore, neuronal connections between areas involved in finger motor movement, finger gnosia, and numerical processing have been posited. In this study, FMS and finger gnosia were investigated as predictors for preschool children's performance in numerical tasks. Preschool children (N = 153) completed FMS tasks measuring finger agility and finger dexterity as well as a non-motor finger gnosia task. Furthermore, children completed numerical tasks that involved finger use (i.e., finger counting and finger montring), and tasks that did not (i.e., picture-aided calculation and number line estimation). To control for possible confounding influences of domain general skills, we included measures of reasoning and spatial working memory. We found associations between FMS and both finger counting and calculation, but not finger montring. In contrast, finger gnosia was only associated with finger montring, but not finger counting and calculation. Surprisingly, there were no associations between FMS or finger gnosia with number line estimation. Findings highlight that the relationship between finger gnosia, FMS, and numerical skills is specific to task requirements. Possible implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ursula Fischer
- Department of Sport Science, University of Konstanz, Germany.
| | | | - Heidrun Stoeger
- Department of Educational Sciences, University of Regensburg, Germany.
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Nastou E, Ocklenburg S, Hoogman M, Papadatou-Pastou M. Handedness in ADHD: Meta-Analyses. Neuropsychol Rev 2022; 32:877-892. [PMID: 35064524 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-021-09530-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Meta-analyses have shown that several neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia, are associated with a higher prevalence of atypical (left-, non-right-, or mixed-) handedness. One neurodevelopmental disorder for which this association is unclear is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Here, some empirical studies have found evidence for a higher prevalence of atypical handedness in individuals with ADHD compared to neurotypical individuals. However, other studies failed to establish such an association. Therefore, meta-analytic integration is critical to estimate whether or not there is an association between handedness and ADHD. We report the results of three meta-analyses (left-, mixed-, and non-right-handedness) comparing handedness in individuals with ADHD to controls (typically developing individuals). The results show evidence of a trend towards elevated levels of atypical handedness when it comes to differences in left- and mixed-handedness (p = 0.09 and p = 0.07, respectively), but do show clear evidence of elevated levels of non-right-handedness between individuals with ADHD and controls (p = 0.02). These findings are discussed in the context of the hypothesis that ADHD is a disorder in which mostly right-hemispheric brain networks are affected. Since right-handedness represents a dominance of the left motor cortex for fine motor behavior, such as writing, as well as a left-hemispheric dominance for language functions, and about 90% of individuals are right-handers, this hypothesis might explain why there is not stronger evidence for an association of left-handedness with ADHD. We suggest that the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of ADHD might show an overlap with the mechanisms involved in handedness strength, but not handedness direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenia Nastou
- Department of Primary Education, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 13A Navarinou Street, 10680, Athens, Greece
| | | | | | - Marietta Papadatou-Pastou
- Department of Primary Education, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 13A Navarinou Street, 10680, Athens, Greece. .,Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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Hausmann M, Grimshaw G, Rogers L. Laterality entering the next decade - The 25th anniversary of a journal devoted to asymmetries of brain, behaviour and cognition. Laterality 2021; 26:261-264. [PMID: 34120574 DOI: 10.1080/1357650x.2021.1930353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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