Skip to main content
Log in

Handedness in mice: Comparison across eleven inbred strains

  • Published:
Behavior Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Screening for handedness was performed in 11 inbred strains of mice. Direction and degree of handedness were measured for both males and females in each strain. The data show that there are almost as many right-as left-handed subjects and no strain could be classified as right-or left-handed. Females, however, tend to be more strongly lateralized than males. The range of variation for degree of handedness is pronounced between strains. These results thus suggest that degree of handedness would be the relevant variable in a genetic analysis of handedness in mice. They are in agreement with Collins' previous results showing a response to selection for degree, but not for direction, of handedness.

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

  • Cole, J. (1950). Paw preference in cats related to hand preference in animals and man.J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 48:137–140.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins, R. L. (1968). On the inheritance of handedness. I. Laterality in inbred mice.J. Hered. 59:9–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins, R. L. (1969). On the inheritance of handedness. II. Selection for sinistrality in mice.J. Hered. 60:117–119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins, R. L. (1970). The sound of one paw clapping: An inquiry into the origin of left-handedness. In Lindzey, G., and Thiessen, D. D. (eds.),Contributions to Behavior-Genetic Analysis: the Mouse as a Prototype, Academic Press, New York, pp. 115–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins, R. L. (1985). On the inheritance of direction and degree of asymmetry. In Glick, S. D. (ed.),Cerebral Lateralization in Nonhuman Species, Academic Press, London, pp. 41–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galaburda, A., Sherman, G., and Geschwind, N. (1985). Cerebral lateralisation: Historical note on animal studies. In Glick, S. D. (ed.),Cerebral Lateralization in Nonhuman Species, Academic Press, London, pp. 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geschwind, N. (1984). Immunological associations of cerebral dominance. In Behan, P. O., and Spreafico, F. (eds.),Neuroimmunology, Raven Press, New York, pp. 451–461.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacNeilage, P. F., Studdert-Kennedy, M. G., and Linblom, B. (1987). Primate handedness reconsidered.Behav. Brain Sci. 10:247–303.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nosten, M., Signore, P., Chaoui, M., and Roubertoux, P. (1988a). Genetics and handedness in mice: Preliminary results.Behav. Genet.,18:727.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nosten, M., Signore, P., Chaoui, M., and Roubertoux, P. (1988b). Genetics and lateralization in mice.Eur. J. Neurosci. Suppl.:199.

  • Peterson, G. M. (1934). Mechanisms of handedness in the rat.Comp. Psychol. Monogr.9:1–6.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

This study was supported by the CNRS (URA 1294), the University of Paris V (UFR Biomédicale), the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale, and the Ministère de l'Education Nationale du Maroc.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Signore, P., Chaoui, M., Nosten-Bertrand, M. et al. Handedness in mice: Comparison across eleven inbred strains. Behav Genet 21, 421–429 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01065977

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01065977

Key Words

Navigation