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Handedness in psychiatric patients
The British Journal of Psychiatry : the Journal of Mental Science
|November 1, 1977
Summary
This study found no overall difference in handedness between psychiatric patients and controls. However, specific conditions like schizophrenia showed higher rates of left-handedness in males, suggesting links to cerebral dysfunction.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Human Genetics
Background:
- Handedness, or cerebral lateralization, is a fundamental human trait.
- Previous research has suggested potential links between non-right-handedness and certain psychiatric disorders.
- The relationship between handedness and specific psychiatric conditions requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the distribution of handedness in a large sample of psychiatric patients compared to controls.
- To examine handedness patterns across different psychiatric diagnostic groups, including schizophrenia, affective psychosis, and personality disorders.
- To explore potential sex differences in handedness within these groups.
Main Methods:
- A handedness preference questionnaire was administered to 800 psychiatric patients and 800 controls.
- Data analysis focused on comparing the prevalence of right-handedness, left-handedness, and mixed-handedness between groups.
- Statistical comparisons were made to identify significant differences in handedness distributions.
Main Results:
- No significant overall difference in handedness was found between psychiatric patients and controls.
- Contrary to some prior studies, sinistrality (left-handedness) was not associated with male sex in the overall sample.
- Among psychotics, a higher proportion of fully right-handed individuals was observed. Schizophrenic males showed a significantly higher proportion of left-handed writers than females. Female patients with personality disorders exhibited more mixed-handedness than controls.
- Patients with affective psychosis had few left-handed writers.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest a complex relationship between handedness and specific psychiatric disorders, rather than a general association.
- The elevated right-handedness in general psychotics and specific patterns in schizophrenia and personality disorders may relate to theories of asymmetrical cerebral dysfunction.
- Further research is warranted to understand the neurodevelopmental implications of these handedness variations in psychiatric populations.