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Study Shows Left-Handers Have More Flexible Brains
http://www.rense.com ^ | 3-6-02 | Robert Lee Hotz

Posted on 03/06/2002 9:50:08 PM PST by PurVirgo

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I think there a couple of interesting arguments that can go either way. Like, if the gene for right-handedness is inhereted, and there is no gene for left-handedness, why do those that lack the gene prefer the left hand? After all, humans learn by mimicry.

Secondly, how is it that humans are the only species with a gene for hand preference? (I think that's neat myself)

Dunno, I think it goes beyond writing, which is mostly training and practice.

Does the ambidextrous person, who is mostly "right handed" exhibit the same kind of brain development also? What about the "left handed" person who is forced to use their right hand? Is their brain development the same as a right handed person?

1 posted on 03/06/2002 9:50:08 PM PST by PurVirgo (purrvirgo@angelfire.com)
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To: PurVirgo
My daughter is left-handed. Her Italian grandmother tried to get me to force her to be right-handed. After all, the Italian word for left is sinister.

She eats with her left hand but seems to do everything else with her right hand. She has a very quick mind, one of the best arguers I have ever known, but I don't know if being left-handed would have anything to do with it, as my younger daughter, who is right-handed is becoming a pretty good debater herself.

2 posted on 03/06/2002 10:00:24 PM PST by diefree
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To: PurVirgo
I know left-handedness is particularly a male trait; strange considering as this article says there is no specific gene for it. Another question raised there. I wonder if left-handedness can also be a result of brain damage? The mentally retarded also have a higher instance of left-handedness.
3 posted on 03/06/2002 10:03:40 PM PST by stands2reason
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To: diefree
It's a good thing you didn't force her; doing so can cause stuttering I've heard (something to do with the cross-wiring of the language center of the brain) among other problems. My father tried to force me, but it didn't take too well. Still a lefty, though I'm right-eyed and eared.
4 posted on 03/06/2002 10:09:03 PM PST by stands2reason
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To: PurVirgo
Famous Left-Handers
5 posted on 03/06/2002 10:11:36 PM PST by Blowtorch
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To: PurVirgo
Left-handed people seem to be more artistic, and creative, based solely on my life experience.

Twice I broke my right hand, and was forced for a few weeks to become a leftie. It has made me more towards ambedextrous, which came fairly easily. In tests I consistently score evenly between language and quantitative. Are those things related?

My father was much the same, and also experienced several hand injuries. While right handed, he was very artistic and creative. Do we carry something akin to a propensity (gene) towards being ambedextrous, but are trained to select right-handedness?

6 posted on 03/06/2002 10:20:46 PM PST by truth_seeker
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To: PurVirgo
If the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body, and the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body,
then only left-handed people are in their right mind.
7 posted on 03/06/2002 10:56:01 PM PST by UCANSEE2
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To: PurVirgo
If the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body, and the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body,
then only left-handed people are in their right mind.
8 posted on 03/06/2002 10:56:40 PM PST by UCANSEE2
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To: stands2reason
Oh my god- you've just explained my whole screwed-up life to me- I'm retarted!!
9 posted on 03/06/2002 11:42:55 PM PST by 1FreeAmerican
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To: 1FreeAmerican
And I can't type very well either!!
10 posted on 03/06/2002 11:45:35 PM PST by 1FreeAmerican
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To: stands2reason
I wonder if left-handedness can also be a result of brain damage? The mentally retarded also have a higher instance of left-handedness.

Probably not brain damage. I have read (sorry, I don't have cites handy, but in numerous sources over the years) that left-handers are disproportionately represented among the insane, geniuses and criminals. Interesting mix, there.

The Boston Strangler and Jack the Ripper were left-handed, as were many other infamous criminals. Some years ago (1996? 1992?) all three presidential candidates were left-handed. Of course, politicians might be considered to among the criminal class. Allowing my flexible, left-handed brain to wander a bit with this information, I begin to ponder sexuality preferences. If there's a gene that causes right-handedness, and missing that gene means the person can "go either way," could there also be such a gene for sexuality? I.e., people born with the "straight" gene grow up straight, and those missing it can "go either way."

The article also said that left-handers (those missing the LH gene) tend to have more flexibility between the two sides of the brain; a similar sexuality gene could explain those who "go both ways" sexually.

(No flames, please; I'm not trying to promote any sexual agenda here and am firmly hetero myself, just pondering possiblities.)
11 posted on 03/07/2002 2:06:41 AM PST by sonjay
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To: sonjay
sorry, I don't have cites handy

I'm guessing the pun was unintended.

12 posted on 03/07/2002 2:40:02 AM PST by laredo44
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To: PurVirgo
I'm VERY left-handed, as are 3 of my 7 children (don't know about the 5-month-old yet; too early to tell). However, I eat right-handed and play guitar right-handed. Other than that.............forget it.

Interestingly, if you walk into a typical office full of computer types and do a little, informal poll, you'll find that fully 40% of them will be left-handed. Try it; you'll see what I mean.

13 posted on 03/07/2002 2:44:16 AM PST by RightOnline
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To: PurVirgo
Does anyone know the term for having a different hand preference for different tasks, as contrasted to ambidextrous, meaning performing a task with either hand with equal proficiency? Some personal examples: write/left hand, kick/left foot, throw/right hand, eat/right hand, brush teeth/left hand, and so on. I know there's a term for this behavior but have forgotten it.
14 posted on 03/07/2002 2:47:34 AM PST by laredo44
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To: sonjay
Interesting. I was left-handed, forced to change in school...I can write either right or left handed, but its easier to write "mirror" style with my left hand...I didn't stutter, but had great difficulty with b's and d's, q's and p's, and when very young, thought E and 3 were the same thing...I still say "left" sometimes when I mean "right."
15 posted on 03/07/2002 2:50:40 AM PST by Judith Anne
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To: PurVirgo
bump
16 posted on 03/07/2002 2:52:09 AM PST by Betteboop
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To: sonjay
bill clinton is left handed.
17 posted on 03/07/2002 2:52:40 AM PST by Rustynailww
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To: laredo44
I know there's a term for this behavior but have forgotten it.

"Confusion." I exhibit it too.

I also hold playing cards upside down. Go figure.

18 posted on 03/07/2002 3:00:01 AM PST by Madame Dufarge
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To: Rustynailww
Well, Bill was going to be right-handed, like most people, or left-handed, like some people, or one-handed, like a few people or no-handed, like a very few people.

I think he's sinister, myself. ;-D

19 posted on 03/07/2002 3:08:04 AM PST by Judith Anne
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To: PurVirgo
Well, I'm definitely a lefty; I write, eat, bat, brush my teeth, etc. from the left. BUT, I throw righty, kick righty, golf righty, and most amazingly to me, work the mouse righty even though I write lefty.

You'd say "ambidextrous", but if I try to do these things the opposite, I can't do them. If I try to write righty, it looks like the usual chicken scratch; I throw lefty like a 7-year-old.

As for lefties being artistically creative, in addition to being lefty, I'm also a Libra, which supposedly is the most creative of the zodiac signs. My profession? Designer/artist.

20 posted on 03/07/2002 3:25:44 AM PST by Jhensy
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