Hemispheric asymmetry and finger-tapping in right-handed females

The purpose of the present experiment was to investigate effects of concurrent verbal and nonverbal tasks on right- and left-hand finger-tapping in an adult female group. In addition to the verbal versus nonverbal distinction, both motor and sensory tasks were used. Previous experiments have demonstrated lateralized right-hand decrement in finger-tapping in males during a motor verbal task; increases in both hands during a motor nonverbal task; and increase in left-hand tapping frequencies during sensory verbal and sensory nonverbal tasks. In the present study, significant increases in finger-tapping was observed in all the experimental conditions compared to pre- and postbaseline measures. It is concluded that both facilitation and interference may be observed in a finger-tapping paradigm. Thus, a cautious interpretation concerning the relation of finger-tapping and hemispheric asymmetry is encouraged.