A large body of research has depicted relative arousal of the left and right cerebral hemispheres as related to utilization of particular defensive coping styles, level of anxiety, and perceptual styles. The right and left hemispheres are also presented in the literature as differing in visual-spatial and verbal-auditory short term memory abilities. The present research studied 127 right handed undergraduates' relative performance on forward spatial and digits memory spans in relation to hemispheric lateralization and other perceptual and personality variables hypothesized in the literature to be related to hemispheric arousal. It was hypothesized that the forward spatial and digit memory spans would display asymmetrical sensitivity to hemispheric arousal. That is, in a series of successive factor analyses, a hemispheric balance factor, a trait anxiety factor, and a short term memory factor would emerge. The three factors were hypothesized to be unrelated to each other. During an initial group pretesting, subjects were given pencil and paper measures of handedness, trait anxiety, and several defensive coping styles. During a second individual testing, subjects were administered measures of short term memory, field independence, and a computerized presentation of geometric designs which measured the subjects ability to detect differences which occurred at either the global or analytic level (Navon task). The factor analyses revealed only the hypothesized trait anxiety factor. The hypothesized short term memory and hemispheric balance of arousal factors did not emerge. Instead, a. defensive coping style factor and separate verbal—auditory and visual-spatial short term memory factors emerged. Several methodological difficulties of the present study which possibly contributed to the failure of the two hypothesized factors to emerge were discussed. Several additional findings, including sex differences in hemispheric lateralization, were presented. Also, signal detection analysis revealed a pattern such that trait anxious subjects were biased toward over-reporting differences on the Navon task. Implications for further research were presented.

10 Annotation This diploma thesis deals with relations between developmental coordination disorder (or developmental dyspraxia) and laterality and handedness. In the theoretical part this work summarizes actual knowledge about the origin and the development of laterality and handedness and describes possibilities how to examine it. It also deals with knowledge about developmental coordination disorder, its characteristic, etiology, prevalence and diagnostic possibilities. The aim of the practical part was to evaluate motor difficulties in children with right and left handedness and to compare differencies. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2 was used for that evaluation. Motor skills in 64 children (30 left-handed and 34 right-handed) were evaluated. We haven't found any difference between those groups of children, their results were very balanced. We have also tested the motor skills in children with crossed eye-hand laterality, any significant difference hasn't been found in comparison with standard population. The group of children with learning disabilities has been also evaluated, we have found statisticaly significant difference between their motor skills and motor skills of standard population.

This diploma thesis focuses on the important knowledge related to education and bringing up left-handed children. The theoretical part focuses on the explanation of the term laterality and its diagnostics and also on the methodology of left-handed writing and the preparatory exercises for writing. Furthermore this part points to some various causes and effects suppression of left- handedness, and a brief insight into a former approach and an actual approach. This part offers information to the new trend in writing - Czech school font called Comenia Script. The practical part concentrates on the development of writing for left-handed in the commonly used writing alphabet, and in the font Comenia Script. There is also included a tentative questionnaire for primary school teachers and an observation and teaching of left- handed pupils in four different grades at primary schools. Keywords: laterality, left-handedness, upbringing, education, the commonly used writing alphabet, the font Comenia Script

This thesis deals with the laterality and the ways of diagnosis at children. It is divided into three parts - theoretical, practical and appendixes. The theoretical part deals with laterality, methods of diagnostic and methodology of work with left-handed pupil at the beginning of the school attendance. The aim of research in the practical part of the thesis was to find information about working with left-handed pupils between the students of primary teaching and teachers in practise. The appendixes of this thesis include the questionnaires used for the practical part of the thesis and worksheets for pupils to relax their hand while writing.

The diploma thesis deals with laterality, the research presents analysis of laterality of six adult people with forced changes in laterality. Then it describes the development of laterality and its types, degrees, types and diagnostics. There is also a historical approach to the left-hand side from the Stone Age to the present. The work focuses on forced changes in laterality in childhood and their influence on the overall development of personality. Six adult respondents, three men and three women aged thirty- eight to seventy-two years were tested for qualitative research. The effects of laterality change were observed in speech, psyche, state of laterality, reading and written speech. The aim of the work was to describe the difficulties that may arise as a result of a forced change in laterality, to find out whether the respondents have to face and to discover their possible survival to adulthood. For all respondents, the laterality and type determined by the test was tested, which was a partial goal. For all respondents, during the interviews, problems related to forced changes in laterality in childhood were manifested or discussed.

Performance of efficient and precise motor output requires proper planning of movement parameters as well as integration of sensory feedback. Peripheral sensory information is projected not only to parietal somatosensory areas but also to cortical motor areas, particularly the supplementary motor area (SMA). These afferent sensory pathways to the frontal cortices are likely involved in the integration of sensory information for assistance in motor program planning and execution. It is not well understood how and where sensory information from the limb contralateral to motor output is modulated, but the SMA is a potential cortical source as it is active both before and during motor output and is particularly involved in movements that require coordination and bilateral upper-limb selection and use. A promising physiological index of sensory inflow to the SMA is the frontal N30 component of the median nerve (MN) somatosensory-evoked potential (SEP), which is generated in the SMA. The SMA has strong connections with ipsilateral areas 2, 5 and secondary somatosensory cortex (S2) as well as ipsilateral primary motor cortex (M1). As such, the SMA proves a fruitful candidate to assess how sensory information is modulated across the upper-limbs during the various stages of motor output. This thesis inquires into how somatosensory information is modulated in both the SMA and primary somatosensory cortical areas (S1) during the planning and execution of a motor output contralateral to sensory input across the upper-limbs, and further, how and what effect ipsilateral primary motor cortex (iM1) has upon modulation of sensory inputs to the SMA.

Performance of efficient and precise motor output requires proper planning of movement parameters as well as integration of sensory feedback. Peripheral sensory information is projected not only to parietal somatosensory areas but also to cortical motor areas, particularly the supplementary motor area (SMA). These afferent sensory pathways to the frontal cortices are likely involved in the integration of sensory information for assistance in motor program planning and execution. It is not well understood how and where sensory information from the limb contralateral to motor output is modulated, but the SMA is a potential cortical source as it is active both before and during motor output and is particularly involved in movements that require coordination and bilateral upper-limb selection and use. A promising physiological index of sensory inflow to the SMA is the frontal N30 component of the median nerve (MN) somatosensory-evoked potential (SEP), which is generated in the SMA. The SMA has strong connections with ipsilateral areas 2, 5 and secondary somatosensory cortex (S2) as well as ipsilateral primary motor cortex (M1). As such, the SMA proves a fruitful candidate to assess how sensory information is modulated across the upper-limbs during the various stages of motor output. This thesis inquires into how somatosensory information is modulated in both the SMA and primary somatosensory cortical areas (S1) during the planning and execution of a motor output contralateral to sensory input across the upper-limbs, and further, how and what effect ipsilateral primary motor cortex (iM1) has upon modulation of sensory inputs to the SMA.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T20:19:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 3171.pdf: 1824903 bytes, checksum: f8b361fb67df2b6e406968b3ada5b339 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-07-19 / Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais / Manual preference has been regarded as derived from innate performance advantage of one hand over the other. The main purpose of this work was to investigate the relationship between manual preference and intermanual performance asymmetry on a task of reaching for static targets in five-month-old infants. Secondary purposes were to assess the effects of spatial target position and gender on manual preference, and the relationship between the infants‟ and the parents‟ manual preference. Manual preference was evaluated through frequency of right- and left-handed reaching toward targets at right, midline and left positions, regarding the midsagittal plane of the infant‟s body. Intermanual asymmetry was assessed through kinematic analysis of reaching toward the target at the midline position. Dependent variables were the following: movement time, movement straightness, number of movement units, median velocity, peak velocity, and deceleration time. Analysis of manual preference indicated similar frequency of rightand left-handed reaching at midline and ipsilateral reaching toward lateral targets. Analysis of manual preference regarding toy positions indicated the equivalence between the incidence of infants presenting right and left manual preference. Kinematic analysis showed similar patterns of reaching between the right and left hands, except for deceleration time. Manual preference was not correlated with performance asymmetry. These results suggest that early manual preference in reaching does not derive from a superior capacity of control of one hand over the other. Manual preference was not significantly different between males and females, and it was not correlated with parents‟ manual preference. Results are discussed in terms of environmental versus genetic factors associated with formation of manual preference. / A preferência manual tem sido considerada como proveniente da vantagem inata de desempenho motor de uma mão sobre a outra. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo principal investigar a relação entre preferência manual e assimetrias intermanuais de desempenho na tarefa de alcançar alvos estáticos em bebês aos cinco meses de idade. Como objetivos secundários foram analisados os efeitos da posição espacial do alvo e sexo sobre a preferência manual, e a correlação entre a preferência manual dos bebês e dos respectivos pais. Para a avaliação da preferência manual, foi analisada a frequência de alcances com as mãos direita e esquerda a alvos posicionados na linha média, à direita e à esquerda em relação ao eixo sagital mediano do corpo dos bebês. A avaliação da assimetria intermanual foi feita por meio de análise cinemática de movimentos de alcance a alvos posicionados na linha média. Foram calculados tempo de movimento, índice de retidão, quantidade de unidades de movimento, velocidade média, pico de velocidade e tempo relativo de desaceleração. A análise da preferência manual indicou frequência de alcance semelhante com as mãos direita e esquerda ao alvo medial e alcances predominantemente ipsilaterais aos alvos laterais. Esse resultado revela o efeito da disposição ambiental sobre a preferência manual primária. A análise da preferência manual considerando todas as posições do brinquedo indicou equivalência entre a incidência de bebês apresentando preferência manual direita e esquerda. Não foram encontradas diferenças significantes na preferência manual em função do sexo, e no geral a preferência manual do bebê não apresentou congruência com a preferência manual dos pais. A análise cinemática revelou padrões de alcance predominantemente semelhantes entre as mãos direita e esquerda, exceto para a variável tempo relativo de desaceleração. Esses resultados sugerem que a preferência manual primária no alcançar não deriva de vantagem de desempenho de uma das mãos sobre a outra.Não foi encontrada correlação entre preferência manual e assimetria intermanual de desempenho. Os resultados são discutidos em termos da atuação do ambiente versus a atuação de fatores genéticos sobre a formação da preferência manual.

This thesis has attempted to determine if there are differences, concerning adverbial placement, between the sentences of left- and right-handed writers. To make this determination, I have statistically analyzed compositions of eight graduate students (four left-handed and four right-), and two left-handed published authors' (Lewis Carroll's and Mark Twains) private correspondence.

L'homme ne perçoit pas l'espace de manière homogène : le cerveau code l'espace proche du corps différemment de l'espace lointain. Cette distinction joue un rôle primordial notre comportement social : l'espace proche du corps, appelé espace péripersonnel (EPP), serait une zone de protection du corps, où la présence d'un individu est perçue comme une menace. L'EPP a été initialement décrit par la psychologie sociale et l'anthropologie, comme un facteur de la communication humaine. L'EPP a été plus tard décrit chez le singe par des études de neurophysiologie comme un espace codé par des neurones multisensoriels. Ces neurones déchargent uniquement en réponse à des évènements sensoriels situés à une distance limitée du corps du singe (qu'ils soient tactiles, visuels ou auditifs). L'ensemble de ces neurones multisensoriels code ainsi l'EPP tout autour du corps. Ce codage exclusif de l'EPP est crucial pour interagir avec le monde extérieur, car c'est dans cet espace que sont réalisées les actions visant à protéger le corps ou visant à atteindre des objets autour de soi. Le codage mutlisensoriel de l'EPP pendant des interactions sociales est à ce jour peu étudié. Dans ce travail de recherche, nous avons réalisé plusieurs études en vu d'identifier des facteurs contribuant à la perméabilité de l'EPP et ses aspects adaptatifs. Une première étude a examiné les frontières latérales de l'EPP chez des individus seuls, en mesurant l'interaction d'une source sonore dynamique s'approchant du corps avec le temps de détection de stimulations tactiles. Cette étude a montré des différences dans la taille de l'EPP entre les deux hémi-espaces, qui seraient liées à la latéralité manuelle. Une seconde étude a exploré les modulations de l'EPP dans des contextes sociaux. Elle a montré que l'EPP est modifié lorsque des individus réalisent une tâche en collaboration. La troisième étude est une recherche méthodologique qui vise à dépasser les limitations des paradigmes comportementaux utilisés actuellement pour mesurer l'EPP. Elle propose de nouvelles pistes pour évaluer comment les stimuli approchant le corps sont intégrés en fonction de leur distance et du contexte multisensoriel dans lequel ils sont traités. L'ensemble de ces travaux montre l'intérêt d'étudier l'intégration multisensorielle autour du corps dans l'espace 3D pour comprendre pleinement l'EPP, et les impacts potentiels de facteurs sociaux sur les processus multisensoriels de bas-niveaux. De plus, ces études soulignent l'importance pour les neurosciences sociales de développer des protocoles expérimentaux réellement sociaux, à plusieurs participants. / The space near the body, called peripersonal space (PPS), was originally studied in social psychology and anthropology as an important factor in interpersonal communication. It was later described by neurophysiological studies in monkeys as a space mapped with multisensory neurons. Those neurons discharge only when events are occurring near the body (be it tactile, visual or audio information), delineating the space that people consider as belonging to them. The human brain also codes events that are near the body differently from those that are farther away. This dedicated brain function is critical to interact satisfactorily with the external world, be it for defending oneself or to reach objects of interest. However, little is known about how this function is impacted by real social interactions. In this work, we have conducted several studies aiming at understanding the factors that contribute to the permeability and adaptive aspects of PPS. A first study examined lateral PPS for individuals in isolation, by measuring reaction time to tactile stimuli when an irrelevant sound is looming towards the body of the individual. It revealed an anisotropy of reaction time across hemispaces, that we could link to handedness. A second study explored the modulations of PPS in social contexts. It was found that minimal social instructions could influence the shape of peripersonal space, with a complex modification of behaviors in collaborative tasks that outreaches the handedness effect. The third study is a methodological investigation attempting to go beyond the limitations of the behavioral methods measuring PPS, and proposing a new direction to assess how stimuli coming towards the body are integrated according to their distance and the multisensory context in which they are processed. Taken together, our work emphasizes the importance of investigating multisensory integration in 3D space around the body to fully capture PPS mechanisms, and the potential impacts of social factors on low-level multisensory processes. Moreover, this research provides evidence that neurocognitive social investigations, in particular on space perception, benefit from going beyond the traditional isolated individual protocols towards actual live social interactive paradigms.