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Nature Research, Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 3(15), p. 193-201, 2014

DOI: 10.1038/nrn3679

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On the other hand: including left-handers in cognitive neuroscience and neurogenetics

Journal article published in 2014 by Roel M. Willems, Lise Van der Haegen, Lise Van der Haegen, Simon E. Fisher, Clyde Francks ORCID
This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

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Abstract

Left-handers are often excluded from study cohorts in neuroscience and neurogenetics in order to reduce variance in the data. However, recent investigations have shown that the inclusion or targeted recruitment of left-handers can be informative in studies on a range of topics, such as cerebral lateralization and the genetic underpinning of asymmetrical brain development. Left-handed individuals represent a substantial portion of the human population and therefore left-handedness falls within the normal range of human diversity; thus, it is important to account for this variation in our understanding of brain functioning. We call for neuroscientists and neurogeneticists to recognize the potential of studying this often-discarded group of research subjects.