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abstract: |
According to the Geschwind-Behan-Galaburda (GBG) hypothesis, prenatal testosterone (T) causes a slowing in the development of the left brain with a consequent compensatory growth in the right brain, creating a reverse organisation of the cerebral lateralisation. That is, left- and right-handedness might be associated with high and low prenatal T levels, respectively. To test this
hypothesis, the relations of T levels (umbilical cord blood) to grasp-reflex strengths were studied in human neonates. Handedness was assessed by measuring
the grasp-reflex strengths from the right and left hands in 10 trials from each hand alternatively. There were two handedness groups: right-handers (R-L significantly
greater than zero) and left-handers (significantly smaller than zero). Contrary to the GBG model, the mean free T concentration was found to be significantly higher in
right-handers than left-handers for males and females. There was no significant difference in the total T levels between right- and left-handers. Free T concentrations positively correlated with R-L grasp-reflex strengths, i.e. right-handedness increased as T increased, and left-handedness increased as T decreased. Contrary to these positive correlations, T negatively correlated with
the grasp-reflex strengths from the right and left hands. These results partly supported the GBG hypothesis for this spinal-motor-asymmetry model. Total T did not significantly correlate with grasp-reflex strengths. The results suggest that prenatal T may at least play a role in prenatal determination of spinal motor lateralisation, with a possible consequent upward regulation of cerebral
lateralisation.
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creators_name:
- family: Tan
given: Uner
honourific: ''
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- family: Tan
given: Meliha
honourific: ''
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date: 2001
date_type: published
datestamp: 2001-04-08
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editors_id: []
editors_name:
- family: Coraballis
given: Michael
honourific: ''
lineage: ''
- family: McManus
given: Chris
honourific: ''
lineage: ''
- family: Peters
given: Michael
honourific: ''
lineage: ''
eprint_status: archive
eprintid: 1439
fileinfo: /style/images/fileicons/application_pdf.png;/1439/2/TANTANLAT.PDF
full_text_status: public
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keywords: |-
testosterone, cerebral laterality, reflex, handedness,
spinal cord, neonate
lastmod: 2011-03-11 08:54:37
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metadata_visibility: show
note: ~
number: 2
pagerange: 181-192
pubdom: FALSE
publication: ' Laterality'
publisher: Taylor & Francis
refereed: FALSE
referencetext: |
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rev_number: 10
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status_changed: 2007-09-12 16:37:47
subjects:
- neuro-endocrin
- neuro-psy
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title: Testosterone and grasp-reflex differences in human neonates
type: journalp
userid: 491
volume: 6