Mapping dexterity and handedness: recent insights and future challenges

Kasper Winther Andersen; Hartwig Roman Siebner

doi:10.1016/j.cobeha.2017.12.020

Mapping dexterity and handedness: recent insights and future challenges

Kasper Winther Andersen, Hartwig Roman Siebner

Department of Clinical Medicine

14 Citations (Scopus)

35 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Manual ability (dexterity) and hand preference (handedness) are key features of human motor control. Recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies casted new light on the neural underpinnings of dexterity. In right-handers, MRI identified structural brain features related to the right–left difference in dexterity or skill acquisition. Functional MRI disclosed a hierarchical and modular representation of discrete finger sequences in sensorimotor cortical areas and uncovered representational plasticity of the deprived sensorimotor cortex in congenital one-handers. Functional MRI studies also identified differences in sensorimotor activity and connectivity between right-handers and left-handers. However, these results are inherently ambiguous, because they may reflect a consequence of handedness rather than its underlying cause. We discuss future scientific strategies that might help to resolve this ambiguity.

Original language	English
Journal	Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences
Volume	20
Pages (from-to)	123-129
ISSN	2352-1546
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2017.12.020
Publication status	Published - Apr 2018

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title = "Mapping dexterity and handedness: recent insights and future challenges",

abstract = "Manual ability (dexterity) and hand preference (handedness) are key features of human motor control. Recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies casted new light on the neural underpinnings of dexterity. In right-handers, MRI identified structural brain features related to the right–left difference in dexterity or skill acquisition. Functional MRI disclosed a hierarchical and modular representation of discrete finger sequences in sensorimotor cortical areas and uncovered representational plasticity of the deprived sensorimotor cortex in congenital one-handers. Functional MRI studies also identified differences in sensorimotor activity and connectivity between right-handers and left-handers. However, these results are inherently ambiguous, because they may reflect a consequence of handedness rather than its underlying cause. We discuss future scientific strategies that might help to resolve this ambiguity.",

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AU - Andersen, Kasper Winther

AU - Siebner, Hartwig Roman

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N2 - Manual ability (dexterity) and hand preference (handedness) are key features of human motor control. Recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies casted new light on the neural underpinnings of dexterity. In right-handers, MRI identified structural brain features related to the right–left difference in dexterity or skill acquisition. Functional MRI disclosed a hierarchical and modular representation of discrete finger sequences in sensorimotor cortical areas and uncovered representational plasticity of the deprived sensorimotor cortex in congenital one-handers. Functional MRI studies also identified differences in sensorimotor activity and connectivity between right-handers and left-handers. However, these results are inherently ambiguous, because they may reflect a consequence of handedness rather than its underlying cause. We discuss future scientific strategies that might help to resolve this ambiguity.

AB - Manual ability (dexterity) and hand preference (handedness) are key features of human motor control. Recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies casted new light on the neural underpinnings of dexterity. In right-handers, MRI identified structural brain features related to the right–left difference in dexterity or skill acquisition. Functional MRI disclosed a hierarchical and modular representation of discrete finger sequences in sensorimotor cortical areas and uncovered representational plasticity of the deprived sensorimotor cortex in congenital one-handers. Functional MRI studies also identified differences in sensorimotor activity and connectivity between right-handers and left-handers. However, these results are inherently ambiguous, because they may reflect a consequence of handedness rather than its underlying cause. We discuss future scientific strategies that might help to resolve this ambiguity.

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DO - 10.1016/j.cobeha.2017.12.020

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VL - 20

SP - 123

EP - 129

JO - Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences

JF - Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences

ER -

Mapping dexterity and handedness: recent insights and future challenges

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