PCSK6 VNTR Polymorphism Is Associated with Degree of Handedness but Not Direction of Handedness

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Larissa Arning - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)
  • Sebastian Ocklenburg - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)
  • Stefanie Schulz - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)
  • Vanessa Ness - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)
  • Wanda M. Gerding - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)
  • Jan G. Hengstler - , Dortmund University of Technology (Author)
  • Michael Falkenstein - , Dortmund University of Technology (Author)
  • Jörg T. Epplen - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)
  • Onur Güntürkün - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)
  • Christian Beste - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)

Abstract

Although the left and right human cerebral hemispheres differ both functionally and anatomically, the mechanisms that underlie the establishment of these hemispheric specializations, as well as their physiological and behavioral implications, remain largely unknown. Since cerebral asymmetry is strongly correlated with handedness, and handedness is assumed to be influenced by a number of genetic and environmental factors, we performed an association study of LRRTM1 rs6733871 and a number of polymorphisms in PCSK6 and different aspects of handedness assessed with the Edinburgh handedness inventory in a sample of unrelated healthy adults (n = 1113). An intronic 33bp variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism in PCSK6 (rs10523972) shows a significant association (significance threshold: p<0.0025, adjusted for multiple comparisons) with a handedness category comparison (P = 0.0005) and degree of handedness (P = 0.001). These results provide further evidence for the role of PCSK6 as candidate for involvement in the biological mechanisms that underlie the establishment of normal brain lateralization and thus handedness and support the assumption that the degree of handedness, instead the direction, may be the more appropriate indicator of cerebral organization.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere67251
JournalPloS one
Volume8
Issue number6
Publication statusPublished - 27 Jun 2013
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 23826248
ORCID /0000-0002-2989-9561/work/160952708