title: Association between left-handedness and allergy: a reappraisal.
abstract: There are conflicting reports in the literature about the possible association between left-handedness and immune disorders, including autoimmune diseases as well as allergies. In this study we compared the distribution of right- and left-handers, assessed with the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory, in a group of patients consulting an allergy clinic and a control population with a similar sex and age distribution. There was no overall association between left-handedness and allergies, although we found a tendency towards left-handedness in patients whose allergic symptoms started before puberty, suggesting that left-handers may have an increased predisposition to allergic disease that manifests itself during early life.
authors.affiliation: Psychobiologie des comportements adaptatifs, INSERM Unité 259, Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Betancur
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vélez
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cabanieu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Le Moal
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Neveu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens