Association of Cognitive Abilities and Brain Lateralization among Primary School Children in Kuwait.
Background. Many studies have explored the cognitive variation between left- and right-handed individuals; however, the differences remain poorly understood. Aim of the Work. To assess the association between brain lateralization indicated by handedness and cognitive abilities. Material and Methods. A total of 217 students aged between 7 and 10 years of both genders were identified for the study. Males and females were equally distributed. All left-handed students were chosen. An equal group with right-handed students was randomly selected. Handedness was assessed using traditional writing hand approach as well as the WatHand Cabient Test and the Grooved Pegboard Test. Cognition was measured using Cambridge University's CANTAB eclipse cognitive battery. Pearson Correlation Coefficient Test "r" was calculated to measure the strength of association between quantitative data. Results. Right-handed children had superior visuospatial abilities (p = 0.011, r = 0.253), visual memory (p = 0.034, r = 0.205), and better scores in reaction time tests which incorporated elements of visual memory (p = 0.004, r = -0.271). Left-handed children proved to have better simple reaction times (p = 0.036, r = 0.201). Conclusion. Right-handed children had superior visuospatial abilities and left-handed children have better simple reaction times.
Department of Neurology, Ibn Sina Hospital, P.O. Box 25427, 13115 Safat, Kuwait; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 24923, 13110 Safat, Kuwait.
Jasem Y
JY
Al-Hashel
Department of Neurology, Ibn Sina Hospital, P.O. Box 25427, 13115 Safat, Kuwait; Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Minia University, P.O. Box 61519, Minia 61111, Egypt.
Samar Farouk
SF
Ahmed
Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization, P.O. Box 1793, 13018 Safat, Kuwait.
Hanouf
H
Al-Mutairi
Kuwait Center for Mental Health, P.O. Box 4081, 13041 Kuwait City, Kuwait.
Shahd
S
Hassan
Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization, P.O. Box 1793, 13018 Safat, Kuwait.
Nora
N
Al-Awadhi
Department of Medicine, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, P.O. Box 24923, 13110 Safat, Kuwait.
Mariam
M
Al-Saraji