Incidence of atypical handedness in epilepsy and its association with clinical factors.
The incidence of atypical handedness (left-handedness and ambidexterity) in patients with epilepsy, particularly its association with major clinical factors, is not well established. We evaluated a full range of clinical variables in 478 patients with epilepsy from the United States and Korea. With the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory, handedness was established as both a categorical variable (right-handed, left-handed, ambidextrous) and a continuous variable. Seizures were classified as complex or simple partial, primary generalized, or generalized tonic-clonic. The relationship between handedness and a range of clinical findings was explored. The overall incidence of atypical handedness in our patients was higher than in the general population (13.6%) and significantly higher in the U.S. patient group (17.6%) than in the Korean patients (8.8%). Handedness was not associated with sex; age; seizure type; age at onset; type, side, or site of EEG or brain imaging abnormalities; family history of seizures; refractory epilepsy; or history of epilepsy surgery.
Slezicki
Katherine I
KI
Department of Neurology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA.
Cho
Yong Won
YW
Yi
Sang Doe
SD
Brock
Matthew S
MS
Pfeiffer
Michael H
MH
McVearry
Kelly M
KM
Tractenberg
Rochelle E
RE
Motamedi
Gholam K
GK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult