Age-related decline in memory and other cognitive functions, such as visuospatial functions is widely studied and well documented. In recent years, some studies have also found relationships between memory performance and functional body lateralization, with individuals who are inconsistently lateralized (e.g. have inconsistent handedness) scoring higher on episodic memory tests. The objectives of this study were to investigate relationships and possible differences between episodic and semantic memory performance, and visuospatial functions as a function of functional lateralization consistency in a large population-based study. In total, 1283 adult men and women participants, with age ranging from 25 to 100 years, were tested within the Betula prospective cohort study (Nilsson et al., 1997) where they were included in the fifth wave (T5) of data collection. Participants were divided into groups of consistent or inconsistent functional lateralization regarding respective hand-, foot-, and eyedness. Results revealed weak to moderate relationship between variables of functional laterality and its consistency. While age was significant predictor of memory performance and visuospatial functions, sex and functional laterality consistency variables were insignificant. Results are discussed in relation to previous studies and to hemispheric interaction theory. / Betula prospective cohort study (Nilsson et al., 1997, 2004)

Several studies have reported a strong bias in both human and non-human species for cradling their infants to the left side of the body. Most studies suggest that the main reason this phenomenon is the predominance of the right hemisphere of the brain for the processing of emotions and its transference, through brain laterality, to the left side of the body. Many other variables, including handedness, footedness, stress and depression have also been found to have some effect on cradling side. However, no study has been published for an Arab population. Given the strong religious and cultural belief of most Arabs that only the right hand should be used for most daily tasks, this study investigated the affect on cradling side of this habit, in addition to the factors named above. 369 Saudi citizens took part in this study. 234 lived in Saudi Arabia and 135 had lived in the UK for five or more years. 267 were women and 102 were men. Each answered a questionnaire which asked about their ‘preferred’ cradling side and then the 102 men were videotaped spontaneously cradling a real infant and an infant-like doll. Unfortunately, only the male sample could be videotaped due to restrictions on filming females in Saudi Arabia. The results confirmed those of previous studies by showing a very strong bias to leftside cradling. No difference was found between males and females in cradling a doll, or between the Saudi-based sample and the UK-based sample but the bias was significantly reduced in men. Apart from the influence of gender, the factors that reduced the cradling bias for a real infant were found to be lack of experience of parenthood, depression, stress and greater age of the infant. In cradling a doll, the most influential variables were handedness, footedness and depression. Further work is required on Arab samples, especially in examining spontaneous cradling by women and its relation to depression and stress. A mother’s mental state is known to affect the health of the infant and cradling side could be a useful filter for neonatal women who might require psychiatric treatment. Further research could also shed light on gender differences in the processing of emotion.

Syfte: Motviktad enbenscykling är en ny träningsmetod som kan användas för att öka intensiteten. Tidigare studier har påvisat att det finns skillander mellan dominant och icke-dominant ben vid cykling med två ben. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka fysiologiska assymetrier vid motviktad enbenscykling. Metod: Åtta undersökningsdeltagare (ålder 24,1 ± 4,2 år, längd 177,0 ± 5,5 cm, vikt 74,6 ± 9,0 kg, vo2max 69,0 ± 6,4 ml/kg/min) deltog i studien. Undersökningsdeltagarna delades in slumpmässigt i två grupper (dominant eller icke-dominant). För att bestämma undersökningsdeltagarens dominanta ben användes Waterloo Footedness Questionnaire. Den dominanta gruppen utförde första intervallen vid testtillfälle två med sitt dominanta ben och den icke-dominanta gruppen med sitt icke-dominanta ben.Vid testtillfälle ett utfördes ett standardiserat nivåtest till utmattning på cykel. Testtillfälle två, som utfördes minst 48 timmar senare, bestod av fyra stycken tio minuters intervaller av motviktad enbenscykling, varannat ben. Testtillfälle två kördes blint. Resultat: Skillnader kunde observeras men dock inga signifikanta skillnader. Tendensen var att man uppmätte en högre effekt med dominant ben (dominant ben 168 ±18,9 W, icke-dominant ben 162 ±18,1W), men en högre kadens med icke-dominant ben (dominant ben 93 ± 12,7 rpm, icke-dominant ben 95 ± 10,3 rpm). Slutsats: Skillnader finns mellan dominant och icke-dominant ben vid motviktad enbenscykling, dock inga signifikanta skillnader. Vår slutsats är att inlärningseffekten påverkade resultatet i denna studie. För att motverka detta i framtida studier angående motviktad enbenscykling bör undersökningsdeltagarna genomgå en invänjningsperiod med träningsmetoden. / Purpose: Counterweighted single-leg cycling is a new training method that can be used to increase intensity. Studies have shown differences between dominant and non-dominant leg during normal cycling. The purpose of this study was to analyse physiological assymetries during counterweighted single-leg cycling. Method: Eight volunteers (age 24,1 ± 4,2 years, height 177,0 ± 5,5 cm , weight 74,6 ± 9,0 kg, vo2max 69,0 ± 6,4 ml/kg/min) participated in this study. Participants were randomly divided into two groups (dominant or non-dominant). Waterloo Footedness Questionnaire was used to decide participants dominant leg. The dominant group used their dominant leg in the first interval at the second test, and the non-dominant group used their non-dominant leg in the first interval. At the first test a standarized incremental cycling test was performed until exhaustion. The second test , >48 hours later, consisted of four ten-minute intervals of counterweighted single-leg cycling, alternating legs.The second test was blinded. Results: Differences were observed, but no significant differences. Tendencies showed a higher power-output with the dominant leg (dominant leg 168 ±18,9 W, non-dominant leg 162 ±18,1W), but a higher cadence with the non-dominant leg (dominant leg 93 ± 12,7 rpm, non-dominant leg 95 ± 10,3 rpm). Conclusion: Differences exist between dominant and non-dominant leg in counterweighted single-legged cycling, but no significant differences. Our conclusion is that the learning effect affected the results in this study. To counteract this in future studies concerning counterweighted single-legged cycling the studies should include a learning period with the training method.

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Sammanfattning Syfte och frågeställningar: Syftet med undersökningen var att ta ett första steg mot att skapa ett testbatteri, som objektivt kan mäta fotbollspelares tekniska prestationsförmåga med boll, samt konstruera en rad övningar som innefattar viktiga fotbolls-specifika tekniker och testa dessa övningars reliabilitet genom ”test-retest”. Syftet med studien var också att göra en jämförelse i prestation mellan varje spelares dominanta och icke-dominanta fot, från tillslagsövningar där båda fötterna används.   Metod: Tolv herrjuniorer (16-19 år) och sju damjuniorer (15-17 år) på elitnivå genomförde ett testbatteri bestående av totalt 21 övningar för mätning av de fotbollsspecifika teknikerna nick, mottagning, driva med boll samt tillslag. Åtta av männen (16-19 år) återgenomförde testbatteriet för utvärdering av testbatteriets reliabilitet. Korrelationen mellan vardera övningens testresultat från den första testomgången (test) och den andra testomgången (retest) bestämdes genom användandet av Pearsons korrelationskoefficienter (r). Skillnader i kvantifierad prestation mellan dominant och icke-dominant fot beräknades med hjälp av ett beroende t-test. Resultat: Fem av övningarna genererade signifikanta korrelationer mellan resultaten från de båda testomgångarna. Dessa övningar var: precisionsskott på stillaliggande boll med dominant fot (r=0,949), skotthastighet med dominant fot (r=0,734), mottagning med bröstkorgen av boll levererad i luften (r=0,743), samt övningarna rak sprint utan boll och rak sprint med boll där kvoten mellan de två sistnämnda övningarna visade på signifikant korrelation (r=0,805). I båda grupperna förelåg en signifikant skillnad i prestation mellan dominant och icke-dominant fot i övningarna; skotthastighet, långpass på marken samt upprepade tillslag. Herrjuniorerna uppvisade dessutom en signifikant skillnad i prestation i övningen skottprecision på studsande boll. Slutsats: Det ringa deltagareantalet gör att resultaten i studien bör tolkas med försiktighet. Studien visa dock att en objektiv utvärdering av flera fotbollsspecifika tekniker är möjlig och några av övningarna visade hög korrelation mellan test och retest. Då resultaten i vissa avseenden pekar på signifikanta skillnader i prestation mellan dominant och icke-dominant fot anser författarna att båda fötterna bör testas i utvärderingar av en spelares tekniska förmåga. / Abstract Aim: The aim of the study was to create and evaluate a test battery, which in an objective way could measure a group of soccer players’ technical performance, and further, to create a series of exercises, which incorporate important soccer-specific techniques, and test the exercises for reliability through “test-retest”. The aim of the study was also to make a comparison between dominant leg and non-dominant leg in exercises where both feet were being used. Method: Twelve male elite junior players (age 16-19) and seven women junior players (age 15-17) underwent a test battery consisting of a total of 21 exercises to measure the soccer-specific techniques of heading, controlling, running with the ball, and touch of the ball. Eight of the men (age 16-19) underwent the test battery again in order to evaluate the reliability of the test battery (”retest”). The correlation between each exercise’s test result from the first test session (”test”) and the second test session (“retest”) was determined by the use of Pearson’s correlation coefficients (r). The differences in quantified performance between dominant leg and second best foot non-dominant leg were calculated by the use of a paired t-test. Results: Five of the exercises showed significant correlation between the results from the two test sessions. These exercises were: dead ball precisionshot using best foot (r=0,949), shotspeed using best foot (r=0,734), controlling airborne ball with chest (r=0,743) and the exercises straight forward sprint without the ball and straight forward sprint with the ball from which the ratio between the two last mentioned exercises showed significant correlation (r=0,805). In both groups there were a significant difference in performance between best and second-best foot in the exercises of; shooting speed, ground long passing, and repeated touches. In addition, the male juniors showed a significant difference in performance in the exercise of shooting precision on bouncing ball. Conclusions: The low number of participants leads to the notion that the results of the study should be interpreted with precaution. The study however shows that an objective evaluation of several soccer-specific techniques is possible and that a couple of the exercises showed high correlation between ”test” and ”retest”. Since the results in some aspects point towards significant differences in performance between second-best foot and best foot, the authors’ opinion is that both feet should be tested in an evaluation of a soccer player’s technical ability.

! Title of thesis : Influence of laterality in somatognostic functions of floorball players Demarcation of the issue : This thesis is dedicated to the influence of laterality in somatognostic functions of floorball players and it rates relation between these two phenomenons. It is a first research in this branch and sport, also, it informs about the coherence of these two phenomenons, from the point of view as a cause of sports injuries and also as a prevention of sports injuries. Justification : Athletes get injured frequently in many different situations. Often, we are dealing with an injury as a consequence, but not the real cause. Physical therapist should get oriented in this problematics to be more effective in the healing process of the athlete. To avoid such problems in adulthood, we should be more focused on the prevention just at the beginning of a sports career of a small athlete. No matter what sports level the athlete had achieved, we are focusing especially in one-sided sport activities. Aim of the thesis : The aim of thesis is to find out any coherence of the effect of one-sided sports, as floorball, to somatognostic functions of players at the age between 6 - 14 years old. Methodology of the thesis : Research is created in a form of descriptive - associative academic method. It is...