Abstract
Background and Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential independent and interactive effects of handedness and grip strength on episodic memory function, and whether biological sex moderated these relationships. Materials and Methods: 162 young adults (Mage = 20.7 years) completed a series of memory assessments including a subjective memory complaint evaluation and several objective measures of memory. Handedness (i.e., left-hand dominant, inconsistent handedness (ICH), and right-hand dominant) was evaluated using the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. Handgrip strength was determined from a handgrip dynamometer. Results: When compared to ICH individuals, retrospective memory scores were statistically significantly worse for left-handed (p = 0.02) and right-handed (p = 0.03) individuals. Higher grip strength was statistically significantly associated with fewer retrospective memory complaints (b = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.19, p = 0.04). Conclusions: The present study provides some suggestive evidence that ICH (inconsistent handedness) and greater grip strength are associated with fewer retrospective memory complaints. However, we did not observe any evidence of an interaction effect of handedness and grip strength on memory, and similarly, biological sex did not interact with these parameters to influence memory.
Highlights
Lyle et al [6] evaluated the effects of handedness on verbal paired associate recall, source memory, face recognition, and working memory
They demonstrated that non-strongly right-handed individuals had greater verbal paired associate recall, better source memory, but no differences were observed for face recognition or working memory
As per the Hemispheric Encoding and Retrieval and Asymmetry (HERA) model [47], encoding may predominate in the left hemisphere, with memory retrieval primarily occurring in the right hemisphere
Summary
Individuals with ICH (i.e., use both their left and right hands) may have greater memory function via, for example, increased interhemispheric activation [1] Additional work in this area is needed that more comprehensively evaluates the effects of handedness on episodic memory. In addition to handedness, assessed via self-report, recent work has evaluated the effects of objectively measured grip strength on memory function. These findings are inconsistent [12,13]. Sahu et al [4] did not demonstrate a sex by handedness interaction on a word-list memory task
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