Abstract
Handedness and brain asymmetry are widely regarded as unique to humans, and associated with complementary functions such as a left-brain specialization for language and logic and a right-brain specialization for creativity and intuition. In fact, asymmetries are widespread among animals, and support the gradual evolution of asymmetrical functions such as language and tool use. Handedness and brain asymmetry are inborn and under partial genetic control, although the gene or genes responsible are not well established. Cognitive and emotional difficulties are sometimes associated with departures from the "norm" of right-handedness and left-brain language dominance, more often with the absence of these asymmetries than their reversal.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Cerebral Cortex / anatomy & histology
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Cerebral Cortex / pathology
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Cerebral Cortex / physiology*
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Dyslexia / genetics
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Dyslexia / metabolism
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Dyslexia / physiopathology
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Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics
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Functional Laterality / genetics*
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Gene Expression
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Humans
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Inheritance Patterns
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Language
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Membrane Proteins / genetics
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
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Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
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Proprotein Convertases / genetics
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Schizophrenia / genetics
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Schizophrenia / metabolism
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Schizophrenia / physiopathology
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Serine Endopeptidases / genetics
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Speech / physiology*
Substances
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FOXP2 protein, human
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Forkhead Transcription Factors
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LRRTM1 protein, human
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Membrane Proteins
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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PCSK6 protein, human
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Proprotein Convertases
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Serine Endopeptidases
Grants and funding
Some of the research summarised in this article was funded by Contract UOA from the Marsden Fund of the Royal Society of New Zealand. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.