Akabalieva K. Significant gender-specific difference in brain lateralization of schizophrenia patients assessed by new combined
foot dominance scale.
Front Psychiatry 2023;
14:1276920. [PMID:
38098630 PMCID:
PMC10719836 DOI:
10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1276920]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective
Reduced hemispheric asymmetry has been identified as a potential risk factor for schizophrenia, characterized by diminished brain lateralization and a lack of dominance in the left hemisphere. Moreover, there is growing evidence of disrupted connectivity between various cortical regions. This study aimed to investigate gender differences in left-footedness as a potential biological marker for neuronal dysontogenesis in individuals with schizophrenia and control subjects.
Materials and methods
A New Combined Foot Dominance Scale (14 foot tests), comprising a Modified Chapman & Chapman Subscale (10 foot tests) and a Complex Tasks Subscale (four foot tests) was administered as performance tasks in 180 subjects [98 schizophrenia patients with mean age 34.45 years (SD = 15.67, range 23-79) for men and 42.20 years (SD = 11.38, range 21-63) for women and 82 controls with a mean age 34.70 years (SD = 16,82, range 18-79) for men and 44.50 years (SD = 10.73, range 23-67)]. As our data are not continuous and lacks normal distribution, the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test was used for comparing categorical data.
Results
The mean left-footedness, as assessed by the New Combined Foot Dominance Scale, is significantly higher in individuals with schizophrenia compared to control subjects. Our findings from inter-gender comparisons reveal that female schizophrenia patients exhibit a significantly greater average left-footedness than female control subjects, while in males no such a statistical significant difference is detected.
Conclusion
Left foot dominance is higher in patients with schizophrenia than in control subjects and women contribute significantly more to this difference.
Collapse