Abstract
The purpose of our study was to ascertain the degree of correlation between handedness and physiological neocerebellar extinction syndrome demonstrable on the side contra lateral to the dominant upper extremity. Using the Edinburdh questionnaire and other tests for "handedness", we examined 221 healthy 9-11 year old schoolchildren for hand-use preference.
To test their handedness the following 6 mutually indistinguishable tests (p<0.001) were found the most reliable: writing, drawing, holding a knife, scissors, and spoon and striking a match. Congruent response or test outcomes were used for the definition of pure (100%) right-handers (n=166)and pure (100%) left-handers (n=13); the rest were rated as ambidexters (n=42).
Cerebellar dominance was ascertained clinically by means of palpation and aspection; by the presence of physiological muscle hypotonia in the extremities contra lateral to the dominant upper extremity in right-handers and left-handers.