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A simple method for measuring brain asymmetry in children: Application to autism

  • Measuring Behavior 2008
  • Published:
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Abstract

A device for measuring signal transfer within and between hemispheres has been developed at the Center for Neuropsychological Research at the University of Trier, Germany. It contains two identical panels allowing both tactile stimulation and motor response with buttons for the fingers of each hand. The buttons have two functions. They can exert a slight tactile stimulation to a finger, and they can be pressed down by the finger to provide a motor response to the tactile stimulation allowing measuring the response time. The device was used for measuring brain asymmetry in tactile processing autistic children. The participants were given a finger tapping test followed by the procedures with unilateral and bilateral processing of tactile stimulation. All participants responded positively to the test procedure and accepted it as a kind of game. The results indicated that brains were more asymmetrical in autistic children than in controls: The right hemisphere functioned quicker than the left hemisphere.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. FinTec GmbH, Neunkirchen, Germany

    R. A. Wittling & E. Schweiger

  2. Center for Neuropsychological Research, University of Trier, Johaniterufer 15, D-54290, Trier, Germany

    R. A. Wittling & E. Schweiger

  3. Autisme Centre Vestsjelland, Slagelse, Denmark

    L. Rizhova, E. A. Vershinina & L. B. Starup

  4. Pavlov Institute of Physiology RAS, St. Petersburg, Russia

    L. Rizhova & E. A. Vershinina

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  1. R. A. Wittling
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  2. E. Schweiger
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  3. L. Rizhova
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  4. E. A. Vershinina
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  5. L. B. Starup
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Correspondence to E. Schweiger.

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Wittling, R.A., Schweiger, E., Rizhova, L. et al. A simple method for measuring brain asymmetry in children: Application to autism. Behavior Research Methods 41, 812–819 (2009). https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.41.3.812

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.41.3.812

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