%0 Journal Article
%T Laterality, hand control and scholastic performance: a British birth cohort study
%A Ole Brus
%A Scott Montgomery
%A Tabita Bj£¿rk
%A Walter Osika
%J -
%D 2012
%R 10.1136/bmjopen-2011-000314
%X Objectives To use simple measures of laterality and hand control that can identify a greater risk of poorer scholastic ability, potentially signalling suboptimal hemispheric lateralisation.

Design Analysis of material from a birth cohort study.

Setting Members of the National Child Development Study, a British birth cohort study following people born in 1958.

Participants 10£¿612 children who undertook tests at age 11£¿years.

Primary outcome measures Teacher-administered tests of non-verbal general ability, verbal general ability, reading comprehension and mathematics.

Results Linear regression produced associations (and 95% CIs) with tests of verbal general ability, non-verbal general ability, reading comprehension and mathematics scores for the lowest third (compared with highest) of a left-hand control test involving picking up matches of £¿1.21 (£¿1.73 to £¿0.68; p<0.001), £¿0.72 (£¿1.14 to £¿0.29; p=0.001), £¿0.70 (£¿1.06 to £¿0.35; p<0.001) and £¿1.32 (£¿1.90 to £¿0.73; p<0.001). Among those in the lowest third of the right-hand control test score, mixed-handedness compared with right-handedness was associated with poorer scholastic performance, with regression coefficients (and 95% CIs; p values) of 1.90 (£¿3.01 to £¿0.80; p=0.001), £¿1.25 (£¿2.15 to £¿0.35; p=0.007), £¿1.28 (2.04 to £¿0.53; p=0.001) and £¿1.33 (£¿2.53 to £¿0.13; p=0.030). The estimates are for a point change in the scholastic test scores, after adjustment for sex, left-hand motor function and social class. Statistically significant associations with mixed-handedness were only observed for the lowest third of right-hand motor function.

Conclusions Measures involving poorer left-hand motor function may represent useful markers of reduced cognitive function possibly reflecting suboptimal hemispheric lateralisation. Crude measures of laterality such as reported non-right-handedness may be more useful for research when combined with measures of motor function
%U https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/2/2/e000314