Atypical hemispheric lateralization in Turner syndrome subjects

This study compares the dichotic listening task performance of 35 Turners syndrome (TS) and 35 normal females matched for age and verbal intelligence. The task consisted of 24 pairs of digit triads presented simultaneously to both ears. The results indicated that the TS subjects were less likely than controls to show a right ear advantage and more likely than controls to show a left ear advantage. The absence of an ear advantage was also found to be associated with the greatest nonverbal deficits, but only among TS subjects. The findings are discussed in terms of diminished hemispheric specializations in TS females.