The Influence of Handedness on the Clinical Presentation and Neuropsychology of Alzheimer Disease

Abstract

Left-handed patients with AD do not differ from right-handed patients in the severity or pattern of neuropsychological deficits. Left-handedness or some factor associated with it may contribute to the early appearance of cognitive deficits during the development of Alzheimer disease, but may temper the subsequent rate of progression of deficits.

Neuropsychological Contributions to the Early Identification of Alzheimer’s Disease

“…Although subgroups with relatively preserved "verbal" or "spatial" profiles have been confirmed in early stages of AD, a corresponding advantage does not always extend to more specific cognitive functions like verbal or visuospatial memory (Demadura et al 2001) and may differ between genetic risk groups (Finton et al 2003). Effects of handedness and motor asymmetry have also been documented in AD (Doody et al 1999;Strite et al 1997). Given this substantial evidence for cognitive asymmetry in the early stages of AD, it is likely that these profiles may exist in a more subtle form in a prodromal phase.…”

Handedness and Cognition Across the Healthy Lifespan

“…For example, an interaction between handedness and sex has been reported for various cognitive abilities, including visuospatial skills and verbosequential functions (Gordon & Kravetz, 1991). Similarly, recent work in patients with Alzheimer's disease suggests that left-handed individuals may develop the condition at an earlier age than right-handed persons, suggesting a possible differential pattern of cognitive decline (Doody et al, 1999).…”

Hora de balanço

“…Existem estudos associando a preferência manual esquerda a condições físicas e mentais, tais como, apneia do sono (126) , asma (127) , doença de Alzheimer (128) , síndrome de Williams-Beuren (129) , psicose (130) , esquizofrenia (131) . Os danos no hemisfério esquerdo relacionados com as patologias são apontados pelos autores como possível causa da frequência mais elevada de sinistrómanos nestes grupos.…”