Heart Rate Variability Differs between Right- and Left-Handed Individuals. Issue 3 (June 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yüksel, Ramazan; Arslan, Muzeyyen; Dane, Şenol
• Is Part Of: Perceptual and motor skills. Volume 118:Issue 3(2014)
• Page Start: 890
• Page End: 896
• Publication Date: 2014-06
• Subjects: Perception -- Periodicals; Motor ability -- Periodicals; Motor Skills; Perception; Psychology; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 152
• DOI: 10.2466/19.10.PMS.118k24w5
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-5125

Abstract

Previous studies reported reduced longevity in left-handers with the suggestion that it may be associated with different heart diseases. Therefore, differences in heart rate variability (HRV), an index of autonomic cardiac activity, were examined for right- and left-handed individuals. 120 healthy young university students (75 women, 45 men; M age = 20.4 yr., SD = 1.5) volunteered. Handedness was assessed with the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory and HRV was measured via electrocardiography. The results suggest that the left-handers' HRV was significantly different from that of right-handers on several parameters. The atypical cerebral organization of left-handers may be related to an imbalanced autonomic system that results in higher frequencies of heart irregularities.