title: Handedness distribution in a residential population with severe or profound mental retardation.
abstract: Handedness within a sample of mentally retarded subjects was assessed using a procedure that includes a large number of items appropriate for lower functioning subjects, with multiple presentations within and between sessions one week apart. Results revealed a dramatic shift from the normal right-handed bias primarily due to the presence of a large mixed-handedness subtype, which proved to be ambiguously handed in that these subjects showed inconsistent hand preference within items. Reasons why this subtype has not been reported previously were discussed, and a model was postulated to explain the resultant handedness distribution in terms of probable central nervous system substrate.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology*; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged