Early experience of sex hormones as a predictor of reading, phonology, and auditory perception  

Oleh:

Beech, John R. ; Beauvois, Michael W.

Jenis: Article from Journal - ilmiah internasional
Dalam koleksi: Brain and Language (Full Text) vol. 96 no. 1 (2006), page 49-58.
Topik: Digit ratio; Hemispheric diVerences; Auditory saltation; Phonology; Adult reading; Spelling
Fulltext: 96_01_Beech.pdf (332.32KB)

Isi artikel

Previous research has indicated possible reciprocal connections between phonology and reading, and also connections between aspects of auditory perception and reading. The present study investigates these associations further by examining the potential inXuence of prenatal androgens using measures of digit ratio (the ratio of the lengths of the index and ring Wngers). Those with low digit ratios (shorter index Wnger and therefore in the masculine direction) are hypothesised to have experienced greater “masculinisation” in the uterus. ANCOVA analyses using a verbal reasoning task as a covariate showed that only phonology was inXuenced by digit ratio in the right hand indicating that hypothesised androgen eVects were inhibiting phonology; however this eVect in the left hand was reduced and instead there was an eVect indicating an inhibition of androgens on reading. Furthermore, subjects with low right-hand digit ratios were also impaired compared to those with high right-hand digit ratios in an auditory saltation task. These Wndings are discussed in terms of the possible eVects of androgens on early brain development impairing aspects of the temporal processing of sounds by the left hemisphere, which could also have a secondary inXuence on developing phonology and literacy skills.

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