Assessment of handedness using a digitizing tablet: a new method

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Human Motor Control

Background:

• Handedness assessment is crucial in psychiatric research, particularly for schizophrenia, due to potential links with neurodevelopmental and hemispheric abnormalities.
• Existing methods for assessing handedness vary in precision.
• Distinguishing between different types of left-handedness is important for nuanced research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the precision of two handedness assessment methods: a questionnaire (Edinburgh Handedness Inventory) and a computational movement analysis procedure.
• To determine which method offers superior discrimination, especially between subgroups of left-handers.
• To inform future research on the most effective tools for handedness assessment.

Main Methods:

• Comparison of the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (EHI) with a computational procedure for movement analysis in healthy subjects.
• Assessment of the methods' ability to differentiate between right-handers and left-handers.
• Investigation of discrimination between 'consistent' (n=12) and 'inconsistent' (n=11) left-handers.

Main Results:

• The Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (EHI) demonstrated comparable ability to the computational method in distinguishing right-handers from non-right-handers.
• Digitized analysis of hand-motor performance provided more precise discrimination between 'consistent' and 'inconsistent' left-handers.
• The study identified limitations in solely relying on the EHI for detailed handedness classification.

Conclusions:

• Both the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory and computer-aided analysis of hand movements are valuable for handedness assessment.
• Computer-aided analysis of hand movements offers enhanced precision for differentiating subtle variations in left-handedness.
• Future psychiatric research should consider employing both EHI and computational movement analysis for comprehensive handedness assessment.