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Motor laterality as an indicator of speech laterality
Kenneth A Flowers1, John M Hudson
1Department of Psychology, University of Hull, Hull, United Kingdom. k.a.flowers@hull.ac.uk
Neuropsychology
|March 27, 2013
Summary
Motor laterality assessment can predict speech representation, especially in cases of anomalous findings. A consistent difference in hand motor skills indicates clear unilateral speech representation, aiding neurosurgical planning.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurolinguistics
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Determining speech laterality is crucial for neurosurgery, particularly for anomalous cases.
- The relationship between handedness and speech representation is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if motor laterality, assessed by preference and performance, can indicate speech laterality in patients undergoing a Wada test.
- To explore the link between motor output sequencing and speech representation.
Main Methods:
- Assessed handedness using preference ratings and a pegboard motor task to determine motor laterality.
- Correlated motor laterality results with speech representation determined by the Wada test (χ2).
Main Results:
- Patients with small or inconsistent between-hand motor differences showed ambiguous or anomalous speech representation.
- A consistently large between-hand motor difference correlated with clear unilateral speech representation (χ2 = 10.45, p < .01).
- This motor-speech laterality relationship held regardless of hand preference or skill level.
Conclusions:
- Motor and speech laterality share a common central control for motor output sequencing.
- Motor laterality measures, particularly between-hand differences, can predict speech representation, including anomalous cases.
- This finding has implications for pre-surgical planning in neurosurgery.
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