The relation between cerebral dominance and visual analytic skills in Iraqi medical students, a cross sectional analysis

Authors

  • Nawfal Al-Hadithi Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Baghdad.
  • Ahmed Al-Imam School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire. http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1846-9424
  • Manolia Irfan Faculty of Medicine, University of Baghdad.
  • Mohammed Khalaf Faculty of Medicine, University of Baghdad.
  • Sara Al-Khafaji Faculty of Medicine, University of Baghdad.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v7i6.15205

Keywords:

Dominance, Cerebral, Laterality, Visual, Language, Dexterity, Handedness, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Students, Iraq

Abstract

Background: Cerebral dominance, also known as lateralization of brain functions, is the neurologic phenomenon in which one hemisphere is dominant over the other, and will thereby exercise greater influence over certain functions. The cerebral lateralization of many vertebrates, indicates an evolutionary advantage associated with the cerebral specialization. In humans, the majority of people are of left cerebral dominance. True bilateral cerebral dominance, manifested in ambidexterity, is exceedingly rare.

Aims and Objective: To derive a statistical inference between determined parameters of cerebral dominance and the 3-dimensional visual analytic skills. The parameters are: handedness, , gender, and language skills.

Materials and Methods: This survey targeted an audience of undergraduate medical students, 103 of them replied and fully completed an electronic-distributed survey. All participants were blinded to the outcome and aims of the study (single-blinded experimental design). The survey was created via Google Forms, and made available online for three days, on the University intranet system. Compiled data resulted in 523 pages. Statistical analyses were conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, Shodor-Interactivate software, and Microsoft Excel 2016. References of this paper, were retrieved via a detailed systematic review of literature databases, while carrying out critical evaluation of evidence. The databases included: PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, OpenGrey, and Google Scholar.

Results: Males and females participated in the survey (34 and 69 participants respectively), 91 of participants (88.4%) were right-handed. Mapped participants’ demographics included: age, gender, handedness, siblings’ and parents’ handedness, number of siblings and birth order, and number of spoken languages. The 3D-visual analytic skills, were evaluated via a cross sectional survey and objectively-evaluated via a professional visual IQ testing. Statistics proven that there was no significant correlation between the 3D-visual skills and any of the tested parameters. Significance was considered at a p-value of 0.05 or less.

Conclusion: In this sample of 103 tested subjects, all of which were not professional Anatomists. Our tested hypothesis of the presence of potential correlation between handedness (and other parameters of cerebral dominance) with the three-dimensional visual analytic skills, were proven statistically to be non-existent. 

Asian Journal of Medical Sciences Vol.7(5) 2016 47-52

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Author Biographies

Nawfal Al-Hadithi, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Baghdad.

Full professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology.

ENT Specialist.

Ahmed Al-Imam, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire.

Ahmed M. Lutfi, MD, PG-Cert (Anatomy & Physiology), PG-Dip (Dermatology), MSc (Dermatology), PhD Student (Medicine) Novel Psychoactive Substances Unit, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, UKLecturer and Researcher, Faculty of Medicine, University of Baghdad
Guest Editor, The 4th International Conference of Novel Psychoactive SubstancesE-mail: a.m.al-imam@herts.ac.uk , tesla1452@gmail.comMobile: +964 (0) 771 433 8199 (Iraq), +44 (0) 7482 571679 (UK)

Manolia Irfan, Faculty of Medicine, University of Baghdad.

Medical Student, MD.

Mohammed Khalaf, Faculty of Medicine, University of Baghdad.

Medical Student, MD.

Sara Al-Khafaji, Faculty of Medicine, University of Baghdad.

Medical Student, MD.

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Published

2016-10-31

How to Cite

Al-Hadithi, N., Al-Imam, A., Irfan, M., Khalaf, M., & Al-Khafaji, S. (2016). The relation between cerebral dominance and visual analytic skills in Iraqi medical students, a cross sectional analysis. Asian Journal of Medical Sciences, 7(6), 47–52. https://doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v7i6.15205

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 6 (2016)

Section

Original Articles

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