Left-handed people may be more prone to certain mental disorders than right-handed individuals, according to child neurologist Natalia Stepanenko, Life.ru reports.
Higher Risk of Autism, Dyslexia, and Other Disorders
Stepanenko explained that scientists from leading European institutes have found that left-handers are significantly more likely to develop autism, dyslexia, schizophrenia, and other disorders related to speech impairments. For instance, autism is diagnosed in left-handed individuals 2.5 times more often than in right-handers. The neurologist noted that this is due to the fact that the processes governing hand dominance and the development of speech functions share a common neurological basis.
No Direct Causal Link, But Enhanced Creativity
However, the doctor emphasized that these scientific observations do not imply a direct causal relationship between left-handedness and mental disorders. She stressed that most left-handed individuals are perfectly healthy. At the same time, Stepanenko suggested that the same neurological traits that increase vulnerability to certain conditions may also contribute to enhanced creative abilities in left-handers.
