Language, Handedness and the Brain: a Family Affair

N Tzourio-Mazoyer, F Crivello, G Simon, PY Herve, G Jobard, L Petit, L Zago, M Joliot, E Mellet, B Mazoyer
NeuroImage. 2009-07-01; 47: S104
DOI: 10.1016/s1053-8119(09)70908-5


The left planum temporale is a marker of left hemisphere language specialization. We investigated the effect of individual handedness and familial sinistrality on left planum temporale surface area and found the size is reduced in proportion with the number of left-handed immediate family members and is lowest when one’s mother is left-handed. This reduction is independent of an individual’s handedness or sex and has no counterpart in the right hemisphere.

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