title: Investigation of the link between higher order cognitive functions and handedness.
abstract: The study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that in high-functioning individuals the left-handedness phenotype facilitates the performance of executive-related tasks that engage the right hemisphere. The Trail-Making Test and Letter-Number Sequencing, previously indicated to engage the right hemisphere, were applied on 47 right-handers and 50 left-handers. There was a significant effect of handedness on both measures and an interaction effect of gender and handedness on the Trail-Making Test. The findings are considered to support the view that greater engagement of right-hemispheric resources facilitates the performance of higher order functions that orchestrate cognition, such as mental flexibility, inhibitory control, and working memory operations.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Psychiatry, Eginition Hospital, National University of Athens, Athens, Greece. ionas96@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ion N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Beratis
authors.forename: Andreas D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Rabavilas
authors.forename: Miltiadis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kyprianou
authors.forename: George N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Papadimitriou
authors.forename: Charalabos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papageorgiou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014145:Trail Making Test; D055815:Young Adult