The AEP T-complex to synthesised musical tones: left-right asymmetry in relation to handedness and hemisphere dominance

Author(s): Byrne, C.

Journal/Book: Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol. 1998; 108: 355-60.

Abstract: Auditory evoked potentials were recorded to onset and offset of synthesised instrumental tones in 40 normal subjects, 20 right-handed for writing and 20 left-handed. The majority of both groups showed a T- complex which was larger at the right temporal electrode (T4) than the left (T3). In the T4-T3 difference waveforms, the mean potential between latencies of 130 and 165 ms was negative in all right-handed subjects except two for whom the waveforms were marginally positive- going. Amongst the left-handers, however, this converse asymmetry was seen in 7 subjects, 5 of them more than 2 standard deviations from the mean of the right-handed group. The degree of asymmetry was not significantly correlated with the degree of left-handedness according to the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. Asymmetry of the T-complex to instrumental tones appears to reflect the lateralisation of auditory 'musical' processing in the temporal cortex, confirming evidence from other sources including PET that this is predominantly right-sided in the majority of individuals. The proportion of left-handers showing the converse laterality is roughly in accordance with those likely to be right-hemisphere-dominant for language. If linguistic and 'musical' processes are consistently located in opposite hemispheres, AEPs to complex tones may prove a useful tool in establishing functional lateralisation.

Keyword(s): Acoustic Stimulation/methods. Adult. Dominance, Cerebral/physiology. Evoked Potentials, Auditory/physiology. Female. Human. Laterality/physiology. Male. Middle Age. Music. Reaction Time/physiology. Reference Values

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