ISSN 1671-3710
CN 11-4766/R
主办:中国科学院心理研究所
出版:科学出版社

›› 2011, Vol. 19 ›› Issue (12): 1759-1768.

• 研究前沿 • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The Genetic Model of Handedness and Language Lateralization

WANG Peng-Fei;CAI Hou-De   

  1. Lab of Brain and Behavior, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210097, China
  • Received:2011-05-08 Revised:1900-01-01 Online:2011-12-15 Published:2011-12-15
  • Contact: CAI Hou-De

Abstract: Handedness and language lateralization are the phenomena with transcultural coherence, relevance in human ontogenesis and development, as well as great ecological advantages. So it is necessary to explore the cause of their formation from genetic aspect. It has been proposed that left and right handedness were determined by a pair of alleles respectively in the early genetic model. Recently, with a suggestion to include the language lateralization, the current monogenic model assumed that the alleles could not only determine directional asymmetry, but also affect the odds of its right or left orientation. Under this framework, directional-chance alleles model, recessive X-linkage model and right shift theory were proposed. The models differ in how they account for the location and function of alleles, the distinctions of handedness, sex differences, and the relationship between heredity and environment. Further research should lay emphasis on data validation of language lateralization, and the correlation between handedness and language perception or comprehension. Besides, issues on the genetic pleiotropy, multiple genes collaboration, as well as how genes determine the phenotype are to be explored.

Key words: handedness, language lateralization, heredity, directional-chance alleles model, recessive X-linkage model, right shift theory