Although therapy doesn't necessarily have to be extensive, it should occur shortly after a person has experienced a traumatic event such as combat or a natural disaster. Treatment may be critical to avoiding depression, PTSD and substance abuse related problems following such exposures, Boscarino said.

It has been theorized that people with a lesser degree of cerebral lateralization, as measured by mixed handedness, would have a greater likelihood of developing PTSD. This is because the right brain hemisphere is believed to be significant in threat identification and in the regulation of emotion responses.

People with reduced cerebral lateralization for language, as indexed by increased mixed-handedness, were thought to be more sensitive to perceived threat and prone to experience emotions more intensity. This was because their cerebral organization was thought to give primacy to right hemisphere contributions in cognitive processes.

"What we've found is a near conclusive link between handedness and a person's predisposition toward PTSD," Boscarino said. "These findings may be useful in mitigating some of the adverse outcomes associated with traumatic stressor exposures."

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Contact: Justin Walden
jawalden@geisinger.edu
570-271-8083
Geisinger Health System
22-May-2007