For the first time, scientists have identified the genetic differences associated with left-handedness, a trait found in 10% of the human population.
What's more, those genetic variants result in differences in brain structure, which might mean that left-handed people have better verbal skills than the right-handed majority. While previous research into twins has indicated that genes are at least partially responsible for controlling handedness, the new study, conducted by scientists from the University of Oxford and published in the journal Brain, is the first to identify which genetic variants separate the lefties from the righties.
Specifically, the proteins were connected to microtubules, a component of cell"scaffolding" or the cytoskeleton.The cytoskeleton determines the structure of cells, as well as the way they operate within the body. Previous research has demonstrated the cytoskeleton's influence on"left-right asymmetry" in other species. "Many animals show left-right asymmetry in their development, such as snail shells coiling to the left or right," Douaud said.
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