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Tuesday, 23 March 2010 19:22

Forced right-handedness changes the brain

Does a conflict between inborn preferences and educational standards during childhood impact the structure of the adult brain? In a new study published in Journal of Neuroscience, Hartwig R. Siebner from the DRCMR , and co-workers demonstrated that left-handed people being forced to use their right hand acquire structural brain changes. The results are in accordance with a more general recent finding: The brain changes shape depending on its use.

 Full reference:

J Neurosci. 2010 Mar 3;30(9):3271-5.

Nurture versus nature: Long-term impact of forced right-handedness on structure of pericentral cortex and basal ganglia.

Klöppel S, Mangin JF, Vongerichten A, Frackowiak RS, Siebner HR.