Does a neuropsychological index of hemispheric lateralization predict onset of upper respiratory tract infectious symptoms?
OBJECTIVE
Past studies demonstrate relationships between hemispheric lateralization (HL) and immunity. However, the relevance of HL-immune relationships to health and illness has rarely been investigated. This study tested whether a neuropsychological index of right-hemispheric lateralization (right-HL) predicts development of upper respiratory tract infectious (URTI) symptoms.


METHODS
We used a prospective, matched, case-control design.


METHODS
Initially, 80 URTI symptom free adults underwent neuropsychological assessment including right-HL (picture vs. word recognition), and were then followed-up during 10 weeks for development of URTI symptoms and objective signs of URTI. Participants reporting URTI symptoms (Ill; N=21) were matched on age, gender, and IQ with 21 participants remaining well.


RESULTS
At baseline, the right-HL index was significantly higher in participants who later became ill (9.9%) compared to well participants (3.9%, p<.05). Health behaviour also predicted URTI symptoms. In a logistic regression, right-HL significantly predicted self-reported URTI, independent of health behaviour and neuroticism.


CONCLUSIONS
Greater right-HL predicted URTI symptom development during follow-up, independent of important confounders. These findings expand previous HL-immune relationships to a common immune-related illness.
Gidron
Yori
Y
School of Health Sciences and Social Care, Brunel University, London, UK. yori.gidron@vub.ac.be
Hall
Peter
P
Wesnes
Keith A
KA
Bucks
Romola S
RS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011932:Reading; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult