title: Hemispheric specialization for linguistic and nonlinguistic tactual perception in a congenitally deaf population.
abstract: Two groups of congenitally deaf and two groups of hearing right-handed subjects identified pairs of nonsense shapes and letters after simultaneous bilateral tactual exploration. In response to shapes, left and right hand pointing to multiple choice arrays were compared. Three response modes, writing and left and right and fingerspelling, were compared for letters. A tendency for right tactual field superiority for shapes was observed in all groups. Groups initially exposed to letters showed significant right field superiority across response modes for shapes. No left-right asymmetries were observed for letters. Differences due to deafness were not observed.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Unit, Broughton Hospital, Morganton, North Carolina 28655, USA.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: LaBreche
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Manning
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Goble
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Markman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003638:Deafness / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005556:Form Perception / Q000502:physiology; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D011578:Psycholinguistics; D011932:Reading; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*