Stuttering and Left-Handedness

There have been many theories in the past whichthe left side of their brain, left-handers make use
have cited psychological reasons as the basis forof the right side of the brain; hence when the
stuttering. These theories went on to suggestabnormalities in anatomical design and neural
that emotional trauma combined with psychologicalpatterns are prominent in one side of the brain, it
fears were the main causes of stuttering. Butaffects the respective persons.
there are cases of children developing stutteringIt has been observed that most of the
immediately after birth and this theory will notabnormalities are found in left handed people is
hold good in such cases as babies do not undergobecause of their neural patterns. During an
any psychological or emotional stress. Henceobservation, it was noted that the Pars
these theories have been rubbished over theTriangularis was found to be larger in the brain of
years and researchers have been involved inleft-handers than the right-handers. Because of
studying the causes of stuttering.these differences, it can be safely concluded that
New studies show that the pattern of the brainthe link between left-handers and stuttering I
and its anatomical design are found to bepurely based on anatomic abnormalities.
different in stutterers and non stutterers. It alsoThe pre-dominance of stuttering in left handed
shows that the neural patterns observed in adultpeople is another one of those proven facts like
stutterers show abnormalities that are beyondchildren stuttering more than adults and men
treatment whereas in children they are found tostutterers outnumbering women stutterers.
be treatable. The irregularities in the anatomicalThough the above reasons could be given to
design are found to exist only in areas which areexplain the prevalence of stuttering in certain
responsible for speech.people than others, nothing has been conclusively
Most of the differences in characteristics of menproved yet. But past research has been found to
and women can be attributed to their neuralshow that left handed people were more prone
patterns and the same goes with the case of leftto dyslexia and stuttering and this has also been
and right-handers too. The differences in behaviornoticed in a quite a few cases and hence the
in left and right-handers are mainly because of thebelief in the link between stuttering and lefties.
dominating hemisphere. While right-handers use