A MODEL FOR THE GENETICS OF HANDEDNESS

Jerre Levy ¹ and Thomas Nagylaki ²

¹ Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80302
² Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80302

Experimental data and theoretical work on the inheritance of handedness and cerebral dominance are reviewed. A two-gene, four-allele model, one locus pertaining to left or right hemispheric dominance and the other to contralateral or ipsilateral hand control relative to the dominant hemisphere, is constructed. It is in excellent agreement with all quantitative information regarding this problem. Refinements designed to explain relevant qualitative facts are proposed and discussed.

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