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NEUROLOGY 2006;67:1813-1817
© 2006 American Academy of Neurology

Relationship between language lateralization and handedness in left-hemispheric partial epilepsy

C. Sveller, BN Hons, R. S. Briellmann, MD, M. M. Saling, PhD, L. Lillywhite, PhD, D. F. Abbott, PhD, R.A.J. Masterton, BSc and G. D. Jackson, MD

From the Brain Research Institute (C.S., R.S.B., M.M.S., L.L., D.F.A., R.A.J.M., G.D.L.), Austin Health, Heidelberg West, Departments of Medicine (R.S.B, D.F.A., G.D.J.), Psychology (M.M.S., G.D.J.), and Radiology (M.M.S., G.D.J.), University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Jackson, Brain Research Institute, Neurosciences Bldg., Austin Health, Heidelberg West, Victoria, 3081, Australia; e-mail: BRI{at}brain.org.au

Objective: To investigate the relationship between language lateralization and handedness in patients with epilepsy and a left-sided seizure focus and in healthy control subjects.

Methods: We recruited a consecutive series of 74 patients and 70 control subjects. Functional MRI, using a noun–verb generation task, was performed to establish the language laterality index (LI). Handedness was quantified using the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory.

Results: Patients showed a shift toward atypical language lateralization (0.43 ± 0.47; controls 0.57 ± 034; p ≤ 0.05) and left-handedness (55 ± 57; controls 74 ± 39; p ≤ 0.05). The LI and handedness were correlated in patients (r = 0.54; F = 25.9; p < 0.001) but not in control subjects (r = 0.1; F = 0.64; NS). A combination of left-handedness and atypical LI was more frequent in patients (12%) than control subjects (0%; p ≤ 0.05). Crossed hemispheric specialization (e.g., right-handedness associated with atypical LI) was equally frequent in patients (20%) and control subjects (16%; NS).

Conclusion: In epilepsy patients with a left-sided seizure focus, language lateralization is correlated to handedness. The increased frequency of left-handedness and associated atypical language lateralization is most likely related to the left-hemispheric seizure focus, influencing hemispheric specialization for both domains.

Supported by Neurosciences Victoria (NSV), the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), and the Brain Imaging Research Foundation of Australia.

Disclosure: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Received December 13, 2005. Accepted in final form July 26, 2006.






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