Title Heart rate variability differs between right- and left-handed individuals.
Author Yuksel, Ramazan; Arslan, Muzeyyen; Dane, Senol
Journal Percept Mot Skills Publication Year/Month 2014-Jun
PMID 25068752 PMCID -N/A-
Affiliation 1.1 Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.

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.

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