Test-retest stability of an experimental measure of human turning behaviour in right-handers, mixed-handers, and left-handers.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_AC3806F3ED56
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Title
Test-retest stability of an experimental measure of human turning behaviour in right-handers, mixed-handers, and left-handers.
Journal
Laterality
Author(s)
Mohr C., Lievesley A.
ISSN
1357-650X (Print)
ISSN-L
1357-650X
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2007
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
12
Number
2
Pages
172-190
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
Animals turn away from the hemisphere with the more active dopamine (DA) system. For humans, a similar relationship has been assumed, albeit that side preferences obtained from different measures are inconsistent. Given the important role of DA on human behaviour and cognition, a stable human turning measure is of significant experimental value. We assessed the stability (test and retest 4 weeks apart) of veering behaviour (lateral deviations during blindfolded straight ahead walking) in 20 healthy right-handers, 20 mixed-handers, and 20 left-handers. Veering behaviour did not differ between groups, and did not reveal any particular side preference in any group. Relationships of side preferences between testing sessions for the different handedness groups was low for right-handers, and showed some minor consistency for the mixed-handed group. Neither handedness nor footedness was significantly related to preferred veering side. These findings, if not related meaningfully to DA-mediated conditions (e.g., clinical populations, pharmacological studies, personality) in the future, suggests that veering behaviour is an inappropriate alternative to the animal turning model. These findings challenge the reliability of human turning measures, and invite more broadly for a critical evaluation of turning measures as an indicator of hemispheric DA asymmetries in human populations.
Keywords
Adolescent, Adult, Dominance, Cerebral, Dopamine/physiology, Functional Laterality, Humans, Psychomotor Performance/physiology, Spatial Behavior/physiology, Walking
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
17/01/2011 20:07
Last modification date
20/08/2019 16:16
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