Handedness and allergic response.
Previous reports have linked nonright-handedness with allergies including hay fever, asthma, eczema and urticaria. The present study examined reactions to 20 common allergens (e.g., food, animal fur, dust, drugs, etc.) in a sample of 430 subjects. Individuals who were left-handed or not consistently right-handed showed an elevated frequency of allergic reactions. The criteria used to determine handedness and the existence of allergies are both important factors. The stringent criterion of consistent right-handedness versus nonright-handedness was a more sensitive measure in detecting allergic individuals than was the simple dichotomy of left- versus right-handed. The association with handedness was stronger for individuals with more than one allergy.
Psychology Department, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology; D015551:Autoimmunity; D004485:Eczema / Q000276:immunology; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000276:immunology; D014581:Urticaria / Q000276:immunology