Sinister psychotics. Left-handedness in schizophrenia and affective disorder

The notion persists that psychotics, particularly schizophrenics, are less right-handed than the general population, and that this deviation is pathophysiologically important in some patients. We assessed handedness and psychopathology in 163 DSM-III schizophrenics, 103 affectives, and 112 normal subjects. Although schizophrenics were less right-handed than normal subjects, this difference was primarily due to more mixed handedness among schizoaffectives. Relationships between handedness and specific psychopathology were uninformative, and we conclude that handedness may not be an important consideration in the study of psychosis.