Left-Handedness (Cuellar-Partida, 2020)

left hand held out towards sky

STUDY TITLE: Genome-wide association study identifies 48 common genetic variants associated with handedness

SUMMARY: Identification of 41 genetic variants associated with left-handedness.

OVERVIEW: Handedness influences how we write, throw a ball and perform many other common activities. Right-handedness is much more common, with only 1 in 10 people being a lefty. Genetics appears to play a role in determining which hand is dominant, perhaps accounting for a quarter of all variation in handedness. To identify the regions of the genome that may determine handedness, this study examined the genomes of over 1.76 million individuals of European ancestry. The study found 41 unique regions associated with left-hand dominance. These regions harbor genes known to influence brain structure and function, such as CNTN3, SOX6, and NPAS4. The study also found a correlation between left-handedness and an increased prevalence of psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

DID YOU KNOW? A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found left-handed men earned up to 15% more than their righty counterparts. On the other hand, the study found no effect of handedness on women’s earnings. [SOURCE]

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left handedness sample results

LEFT HAND DOMINANCE-ASSOCIATED VARIANTS: rs62213410, rs55974014, rs3132584, rs4550447, rs6224, rs2233324, rs13107325, rs62036618, rs35551703, rs66479618, rs7132513:G, rs4953572, rs1422070, rs1526194, rs13006483, rs2194028, rs9645660, rs34550543, rs8016028, rs11168884, rs11820337, rs806188, rs9581731, rs11227478, rs10081960, rs5762532, rs45527431, rs4676276, rs246628, rs1000565, rs4822384, rs1398651, rs1424114, rs8012503, rs12414988, rs62251113

Why are some people left-handed? (Video)
Is handedness determined by genetics?

Handedness (Wiberg, 2009)
Ambidexterity (Cuellar-Partida, 2020)

WEEKLY UPDATE: October 10, 2020