Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Block Building Task Identifies Distinct Groups of Left/Right-hand Choice Patterns After Unilateral Peripheral Nerve Injury
Published on: March 21, 2025
Genes for left-handedness: how to search for the needle in the haystack?
T Van Agtmael1, S M Forrest, R Williamson
1Murdoch Children's Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Australia. agtmaelt@cryptic.rch.unimelb.edu.au
Abstract:
Although several genes that determine left-right asymmetry for structural syndromes such as situs inversus have been characterised in recent years (Supp, Witte, Potter, & Brueckner, 1997), there has been little progress in determining which genes or loci predispose to left-right handedness in humans. Linkage analysis has been used widely for the localisation of genes followed by their positional cloning. The complex genetics of handedness is one of the greatest problems for standard linkage analysis. Several genetic models have been proposed for the inheritance of handedness in humans. On the basis of these models, left-handedness can be considered a common single gene trait with a high gene frequency and a non-mendelian inheritance pattern. We report here a possible strategy, using these genetic models, that can be applied for the identification for genes determining handedness in humans.
Related Concept Videos
Genetic Lingo
Lateralization
Human Genetics
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
Lethal Alleles
Lucien Cuénot discovered lethal alleles in 1905 while studying the inheritance of coat color in mice. The agouti gene is responsible for the color of the coat in mice. This gene codes for an agouti-signaling protein, which is responsible for melanin distribution in mammals. The wild-type allele gives rise to gray-brown coat color in mice, while the mutant allele gives rise to yellow coat color. In addition to coat color, the agouti gene is associated with the yellow...
X and Y Chromosomes
The germline cells such as egg and sperm cells carry only half the number of chromosomes, i.e., 22 autosomes and one sex chromosome. All eggs have an X chromosome, while sperm cells can carry an X or...
X-linked Traits

