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Somers M, Aukes MF, Ophoff RA, Boks MP, Fleer W, de Visser KCL, Kahn RS, Sommer IE. On the relationship between degree of hand-preference and degree of language lateralization. Brain Lang 2015; 144:10-5. [PMID: 25880901 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2015.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2014] [Revised: 01/07/2015] [Accepted: 03/17/2015] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Language lateralization and hand-preference show inter-individual variation in the degree of lateralization to the left- or right, but their relation is not fully understood. Disentangling this relation could aid elucidating the mechanisms underlying these traits. The relation between degree of language lateralization and degree of hand-preference was investigated in extended pedigrees with multi-generational left-handedness (n=310). Language lateralization was measured with functional Transcranial Doppler, hand-preference with the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. Degree of hand-preference did not mirror degree of language lateralization. Instead, the prevalence of right-hemispheric and bilateral language lateralization rises with increasing strength of left-handedness. Degree of hand-preference does not predict degree of language lateralization, thus refuting genetic models in which one mechanism defines both hand-preference and language lateralization. Instead, our findings suggest a model in which increasing strength of left-handedness is associated with increased variation in directionality of cerebral dominance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Metten Somers
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Maartje F Aukes
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roel A Ophoff
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Marco P Boks
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Willemien Fleer
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kees C L de Visser
- Department of General Practice, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - René S Kahn
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Iris E Sommer
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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