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Handedness and alcoholism.
The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
|September 1, 1985
Summary
Left-handedness is more common in alcoholic men with a history of paternal alcoholism and in first-born males. This finding may relate to theories involving fetal testosterone and developmental factors.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Alcoholism is a complex disorder with potential genetic and developmental influences.
- Previous research suggests a possible link between alcoholism and non-right-handedness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between alcoholism and handedness in a clinical population.
- To explore potential demographic factors, such as paternal alcoholism and birth order, in relation to handedness among alcoholics.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 136 alcoholic men and 48 alcoholic women was assessed.
- Handedness was evaluated using a modified Edinburgh Inventory.
- Structured admission interviews were conducted.
Main Results:
- Left-handedness was found to be more prevalent in alcoholic men with alcoholic fathers.
- Left-handedness was also more frequent in first-born alcoholic men.
- No specific results for women were detailed in the abstract.
Conclusions:
- The findings support an association between alcoholism, particularly in men, and left-handedness.
- These results may inform theories linking handedness to developmental factors, such as fetal testosterone exposure.