Is there really a syndrome involving the co-occurrence of neurodevelopmental disorder talent, non-right handedness and immune disorder among children?

Abstract

This paper is the first large-scale attempt to test Geschwind and Galaburda's (1985a, 1985b, 1985c) hypothesis that there should be a four-way association among neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs), special talents, non-right handedness, and immune disorders. In a sample of 11,578 children, several two-way associations were found, but not those most strongly predicted by the theory. For example, non-right handedness was not associated with NDs considered to be secondary to left hemisphere dysfunction (e.g., articulation disorder, reading disability, verbal aptitude deficits). Instead, non-right handedness was associated with NDs that involve generalized brain damage (e.g. cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and seizures). One immune disorder (asthma) was associated with one ND (attention deficit disorder); immune disorder was not associated with non-right handedness. Less than 1% of this sample manifested the co-occurrence of any three or four of these markers. In sum, there was little evidence in support of the syndrome suggested by Geschwind and Galaburda (1985a, 1985b, 1985c).

• Authors: K A Flannery, J Liederman
• Journal: Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior (Cortex) Vol. 31 Issue 3 Pg. 503-15 (Sep 1995) ISSN: 0010-9452 [Print] Italy
• PMID: 8536478 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Topics

• Aptitude (physiology)
• Asthma (classification, diagnosis, physiopathology)
• Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity (classification, diagnosis, physiopathology)
• Brain Damage, Chronic (classification, diagnosis, physiopathology)
• Cerebral Cortex (physiopathology)
• Child
• Developmental Disabilities (classification, diagnosis, physiopathology)
• Functional Laterality (physiology)
• Humans
• Neuropsychological Tests
• Risk Factors
• Syndrome