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New Meta-Analyses Explores the Relationship between Handedness and Stuttering

New Meta-Analyses Explores the Relationship between Handedness and Stuttering

King George VI might be history’s most famous stutterer. He was also a natural left-hander.

A new study has delved into the intriguing connection between handedness and stuttering, shedding light on this neurodevelopmental puzzle. The study, led by Dr. Marietta Papadatou-Pastou, Assistant Professor of Neuropsychology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, has recently been published in Neuropsychology Review, adding a valuable contribution to our understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders.

Reduced hemispheric asymmetries and atypical handedness (non-right, left-, or mixed-handedness) have long been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as well as several psychiatric conditions. However, the connection between stuttering and handedness had not been studied in the context of a meta-analysis to date.

In a comprehensive series of meta-analyses, researchers from Greece and Germany explored the levels of hand preference in individuals who stutter compared to non-stuttering controls. The study was based on 52 identified studies with 2,590 individuals who stutter and 17,148 controls.

“We did not find evidence of a mixed-handedness difference or a difference in mean handedness scores,” the researchers reported. However, evidence did emerge concerning left-handedness and non-right-handedness, albeit not robust.

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Dr. Marietta Papadatou-Pastou stated, “Our findings do not allow for firm conclusions to be drawn on whether stuttering is associated with reduced hemispheric asymmetries, at least in terms of their behavioral manifestation, i.e. handedness. Future research should consider disorder-specific approaches, as the evidence suggests that the connection varies between different conditions.”

Stuttering, characterized by frequent speech repetitions or hesitations, affects approximately 1% of children and adolescents and 0.2% of women and 0.8% of men worldwide. The condition has high heritability estimates between 70 to 80%, and treatment options often provide insufficient evidence for success.

The study has implications for clinical practice and education. Atypical handedness should not be considered a central risk factor for stuttering, according to the researchers. Parents need not be alarmed if their child exhibits non-right-handedness in the context of stuttering signs.

For more information or to access the complete academic paper, please visit https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-023-09617-z.

“Hand preference in stuttering: Meta-analyses” is published in the Neuropsychology Review

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-023-09617-z.

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Officially Opens the New ‘Athina I. Martinou’ University Oncology Centre at Attikon General University Hospital – A Landmark Facility for Academic Medicine and Public Health

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Officially Opens the New ‘Athina I. Martinou’ University Oncology Centre at Attikon General University Hospital – A Landmark Facility for Academic Medicine and Public Health

The new ‘Athina I. Martinou’ University Oncology Centre was officially opened at Attikon General University Hospital. The facility is part of the 2nd Clinical Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. It was created thanks to the generous donation of Athanasios Martinos and Marina Martinou, who fully funded the […]

University of Athens Participates in International Commission on Mathematical Instruction through Professor Chronis Kynigos

University of Athens Participates in International Commission on Mathematical Instruction through Professor Chronis Kynigos

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens is actively involved in the International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI), with Professor Chronis Kynigos serving as Greece’s national representative. ICMI was established in 1908 at the Fourth International Congress of Mathematicians in Rome (see ICMI History) with the initial mandate of analyzing the similarities and differences in […]

Boston University President Visits the University of Athens: A 151-Year Legacy of Collaboration

Boston University President Visits the University of Athens: A 151-Year Legacy of Collaboration

Melissa Gilliam, President of Boston University, visited the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, where she was warmly received by the Rector, Professor Gerasimos Siasos. Accompanying President Gilliam were Gloria Waters, Provost and Chief Academic Officer; Tuoyang Mu, Director of International Advancement; and Katerina Lykiardopoulos, member of Boston University’s International Advisory Board. From the University […]

The Department of Pharmacy’s English-Taught Programme Is Now a Reality!

The Department of Pharmacy’s English-Taught Programme Is Now a Reality!

2 October 2025 marked a milestone for the Department of Pharmacy at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens: the MPharm has officially launched! It was the first day of classes for the Integrated Master’s in Pharmacy, and the new intake of students stepped into the University’s lecture halls! People from five countries abroad started […]

University of Athens—Cyprus Branch Achieves Full Compliance

University of Athens—Cyprus Branch Achieves Full Compliance

The accreditation process for the Cyprus Branch of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens has now been fully completed. In its initial phase, the Branch will comprise 4 Schools and 8 Departments, located in two cities: Nicosia and Larnaca. More specifically, the Schools and Departments are as follows: i) School of Health Sciences (Nicosia): […]

Professor Gerassimos D. Pagratis to Deliver Lecture at Princeton University

Professor Gerassimos D. Pagratis to Deliver Lecture at Princeton University

Professor Gerassimos D. Pagratis from the Department of Italian Language and Literature at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens will be giving a lecture at Princeton University on Friday, 3 October 2025, at 12:30 p.m. (Eastern Time, US), titled ‘The Septinsular Republic (1800–1807): International Relations, Consular Network, and Diplomacy’. https://hellenic.princeton.edu/events/2025/workshop-gerassimos-d-pagratis-septinsular-republic-1800-1807-international-relations

University of Athens Postgraduate Programme ‘Journalism and New Media’ Hosts Euromedia Research Group Meeting

University of Athens Postgraduate Programme ‘Journalism and New Media’ Hosts Euromedia Research Group Meeting

The Postgraduate Programme in Journalism and New Media, with active involvement from its Director, Professor Stelios Papathanassopoulos, hosted the Euromedia Research Group meeting. Founded in 1982, the Euromedia Research Group is considered the oldest network of European media researchers. It was initially set up by prominent members of the academic community at the time, including […]

University of Athens

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, which was inaugurated on May 3, 1837, was initially housed in a renovated Ottoman building on the northeastern side of the Acropolis. This building has since been restored and now functions as the University Museum. Originally named the "Othonian University," after Otto, the first king of Greece, it consisted of four academic departments and 52 students. As the first university of the newly established Greek state, as well as of the broader Balkan and Mediterranean region, it assumed an important socio-historical role, which was pivotal in the development of specific forms of knowledge and culture within the country.

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