Skip to main content
Log in

Handedness in twins according to zygosity and chorion type: A preliminary report

  • Published:
Behavior Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In the course of the East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey (EFPTS), handedness was assessed as part of a genealogical study (Meulemanset al., 1995) in 1616 twins (808 twin pairs) aged 6 to 28. Our findings are that, in this large population-based study with known placentation and zygosity, the often observed higher frequency of left-handedness in twins is confirmed, that it appears to be independent of zygosity and chorion type, and that the belief that discordant handedness in monozygotic twins represents mirrorimaging is mythical.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Carlier, M., Spitz, E., Vacher-Lavenu, Villéger, P., Martin, B., and Michel, F. (1996). Manual performance and laterality in twins with known chorion type.Behav. Genet. 26:409–417.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham, T. G., MacDonald, P. C., and Gant, N. F. (1989).Williams Obstetrics, 18th ed., Appleton & Lange, Norwalk, CT, pp. 629–652.

    Google Scholar 

  • Derom, C., Derom, R., Vlietinck, R., Van den Berghe, H., and Thiery, M. (1987). Increased monozygotic twinning rate after ovulation induction.Lancet 1:1236–1238.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McManus, I. C. (1980). Handedness in twins: a critical review.Neuropsychologia 18:347–355.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McManus, I. C. (1991). The inheritance of left-handedness. InBiological Asymmetry and Handedness, Wiley Ciba Foundation Symposium 162, Wiley, Chichester, pp. 251–281.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meulemans, W., Lewis, C., Boomsma, D., Derom, C., Van den Berghe, H., Orlebeke, J., Vlietinck, R., and Derom, R. (1995) Genetic modelling of dizygotic twinning among relatives of spontaneous dizygotic twins.Am. J. Med. Genet. (in press).

  • Vlietinck, R. (1986).Determination of the Zygosity in Twins, Thesis, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Derom, C., Thiery, E., Vlietinck, R. et al. Handedness in twins according to zygosity and chorion type: A preliminary report. Behav Genet 26, 407–408 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02359484

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02359484

Key Words

Navigation