title: Pathological left-handedness. Left-handedness correlatives in adult epileptics.
abstract: Factors associated with left-handedness were examined in a large sample of adults who suffered with epileptic seizures (n = 446) in an attempt to delineate the concept of pathological left-handedness. Three main pathological factors were found associated with left-handedness: (i) right-hemiparesis of early onset; (ii) cognitive deficit; (iii) evidence of left-hemisphere disease on clinical examination. Familial sinistrality was also associated with left-handedness, independently of the above-mentioned pathological factors. Results support a clear-cut distinction between normal and pathological left-handedness. This distinction seems presently important for the evaluation of the great number of anomalies proposed to be associated with left-handedness.
authors.affiliation: Unit 169 of INSERM, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dellatolas
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luciani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castresana
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rémy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jallon
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Laplane
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bancaud
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005532:Foot Deformities, Congenital / Q000150:complications; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000150:complications