Left-Handedness: Behavioral Implications and Anomalies (eBook)

Front Cover 1
Left-Handedness: Behavioral Implications and Anomalies 4
Copyright Page 5
Table of Contents 6
Preface 14
Contributors 18
SECTION I: BIRTH STRESS AND INTRAUTERINE FACTORS 20
Chapter 1. Birth Stress and Left-Handedness: The Rare Trait Marker Model 22
Rare Traits and Pathological Conditions 26
Left-Handedness and the Rare Trait Marker Model 28
Factors that Influence the Association between Pathology and the Rare Trait 33
Experimental Assessment of Birth Risk Factors and Handedness 36
Application of the Rare Trait Marker Model 37
Is Left-Handedness a Good Marker for Pathology? 44
Conclusions and Future Directions 46
Acknowledgements 49
References 49
Chapter 2. NonRight-Handedness and the Continuum of Reproductive Casualty 52
The Continuum of Reproductive Casualty 52
Implications of the Reproductive Casualty Context for NRH 54
Historical Approaches to Reproductive Casualty 54
Recent Approaches to NRH and Pathology 64
The Comorbidity Factor 71
The Hypoxia Connection 78
NRH and Reproductive Casualty: Small Effects and Negative Results 80
Summary 82
References 83
Chapter 3. Left-Handedness and Prenatal Complications 94
Genetic Theories of Handedness 96
Environmental/Cultural Theories of Handedness 97
Prenatal Hormonal Theory 98
Prenatal Pathological Theory 98
Summary 111
References 112
Chapter 4. Intrauterine Factors in Sinistrality: A Review 118
Geschwind's Theories of Handedness and Origins of Sinistrality (1982-1985) 119
Anatomical Observations 121
Hormonal Influences on the Development of Asymmetry 125
Pathological Associations of Left-Handedness 134
Fetal Position, Birth Circumstances, and Handedness 137
Acknowledgements 141
References 141
SECTION II: PHYSIOLOGICAL AND GENETIC FACTORS 148
Chapter 5. Laterality in Hemiplegic Children: Implications for the Concept of Pathological Left-Handedness 150
Background 150
Objectives 153
The Study 153
Implications for Pathological Left-Handedness Hypothetical Characteristics 163
Pathological Left-Handers 167
Conclusions 168
Acknowledgements 169
References 169
Chapter 6. The Neuroanatomy of Atypical Handedness in Schizophrenia 172
Introduction 172
Method 175
Results 178
Discussion 180
Acknowledgements 182
References 182
Chapter 7. Phenotype in Normal Left-Handers: An Understanding of Phenotype is the Basis for Understanding Mechanism and Inheritance of Handedness 186
Pathology as Basis for a Phenotypical Distinction? 189
Phenotype as Established by Questionnaire 192
Subclassification of Left-Handers by Preference and Performance 196
A Meaningful Subclassification of Nonpathological Left-Handers? 204
Summary and Conclusions 208
References 209
SECTION III: ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS 212
Chapter 8. Cultural Influences on Handedness: Historical and Contemporary Theory and Evidence 214
Historical Evidence 216
Current Evidence 236
Further Questions 250
References 264
Chapter 9. Switching Hands: A Place for Left Hand Use in a Right Hand World 278
Switching Hands: Who, How, When and Why 285
Summary and Conclusions 295
Acknowledgements 304
References 305
SECTION IV: COGNITIVE, SPATIAL AND LANGUAGE ABILITY IMPLICATIONS 310
Chapter 10. Mental Retardation and Left-Handedness: Evidence and Theories 312
Left-Handedness in Retarded Groups 313
Theoretical Accounts 321
Conclusion 332
Acknowledgements 333
References 333
Chapter 11. Handedness, Sex, and Spatial Ability 338
Left-Handedness and Spatial Skill 339
Spatial Ability in Lett- and Right-Handed "High Reasoners" 347
Conclusions 354
References 355
Chapter 12. Handedness and Its Relationship to Ability and Talent 362
The Left Hand Deficit Hypothesis 362
Factors Moderating Relations of Handedness with Ability 365
Strength of Handedness, Familial Sinistrality and Sex 365
Familial Sinistrality and Brain Lateralization 369
Immune Disorders 372
Age and Hand Consistency 373
Reasoning Ability Level 374
Handedness and Talent 375
Mathematical Precocity 377
A Reanalysis of Benbow (1986) 379
Concluding Comment 383
References 384
Chapter 13. Familial Sinistrality and Cerebral Organization 392
Clinical Studies 394
Experimental Studies of Normal Subjects 400
Summary of Demonstrated and Suggested Correlates of FS 420
The Difficulty of Assessing FS Influences: Suggested Strategies 421
References 426
SECTION V: PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SPATIAL IMPLICATIONS 432
Chapter 14. Sinistrality and Psychopathology 434
Sinistrality and Psychosis 436
Sinistrality in Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia 442
Sinistrality in Monozygotic and Dizygotic Twins with Schizophrenia 442
Sinistrality and Mood 445
Conclusion 450
References 454
Chapter 15. Autism and Anomalous Handedness 460
Chapter Overview 460
Current Thought on Autism 461
Handedness and Autism 463
Theoretical Accounts 465
The Geschwind-Galaburda Hypothesis 467
Summary and Conclusions 469
Directions for Future Research 469
Acknowledgement 472
References 472
Chapter 16. Left-Handedness and Alcoholism 476
Increased Frequency of Left-Handedness in Alcoholic Men 477
Left-Handedness and Treatment Outcome 478
Left-Handedness and Having an Alcoholic Father 479
Cerebral Laterality and the Study of Alcoholism 481
Alcoholism and Thyroid Disorders 483
Prenatal Environmental Effects 484
Season of Birth 485
Correlations with Latitude 488
Left-Handedness and Seasonal Sensitivity 490
Left-Handedness and Light Pigment 491
Left-Handedness and Life Expectancy 492
Alcoholism and Creativity 493
Alcoholism and Other Neurological Phenomena 494
Issues of Methodology 496
Conclusions 499
Acknowledgement 499
References 499
Chapter 17. Left- and Mixed-Handedness and Criminality: Explanations for a Probable Relationship 504
A Review of Evidence for an Association between Criminality and Sidedness 505
Possible Explanations for Handedness- Criminality Associations 507
A Model of How Sex Hormones Influence Hemispheric Functioning in Ways that May Influence Handedness and Criminality 516
Discussion and Conclusions 517
Acknowledgement 519
References 519
Chapter 18. Laterality and Longevity: Is Left-Handedness Associated with a Younger Age at Death? 528
Right-Handedness as the Human Norm 529
Why Left-Handedness? 530
Is Left-Handedness Genetic? 531
Is Left-Handedness Learned? 532
Is Left-Handedness the Result of Pathology? 536
Prenatal and Perinatal Stressors and Sinistrality 537
Variability in Cognitive Functioning 540
Immune System Disorders 542
Alcoholism and Smoking 546
The Alinormal Syndrome 547
Left-Handedness and Mortality Risk 549
Left-Handedness and Environmental Risk Factors 550
Sinistrality and Longevity: Archival Data 552
Left-Handedness and Mortality: Next of Kin Data 556
Are Left-Handers at Increased Risk of Mortality? 559
Acknowledgements 560
References 560
Name Index 566
Subject Index 582