title: Heart rate variability differs between right- and left-handed individuals.
abstract: Previous studies reported reduced longevity in left-handers with the suggestion that it may be associated with different heart diseases. Therefore, differences in heart rate variability (HRV), an index of autonomic cardiac activity, were examined for right- and left-handed individuals. 120 healthy young university students (75 women, 45 men; M age = 20.4 yr., SD = 1.5) volunteered. Handedness was assessed with the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory and HRV was measured via electrocardiography. The results suggest that the left-handers' HRV was significantly different from that of right-handers on several parameters. The atypical cerebral organization of left-handers may be related to an imbalanced autonomic system that results in higher frequencies of heart irregularities.
authors: 1 Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Ramazan
authors: R
authors: Yüksel
authors: Muzeyyen
authors: M
authors: Arslan
authors: Senol
authors: S
authors: Dane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult