The effect of familial sinistrality on the relation between schizophrenialike thinking and pseudoneglect

We have recently reported a correlation between schizophrenialike symptoms and the degree of pseudoneglect in healthy right-handers. We aimed to inves tigate the effect of familial sinistrality (FS) on this relation. Seventy s ix healthy right-handers were divided into four groups on the basis of gend er and FS. A computerized version of Corsi's task was used as the visuospat ial task. Subjects filled in the Magical Ideation Scale (MI), which asked f or delusionlike beliefs, and performed the Corsi's task using each hand. Pe rformance of both hemispaces was separately evaluated. In all groups, perfo rmance of the left hemispace was better than that of the right hemispace an d FS+ subjects performed better than FS- subjects. When the right hand was used, performance was correlated to MI scores only for FS- groups. Findings suggest that the correlation between right-sided neglect and proneness to schizotypy in normal right-handers is affected by FS. (C) 2000 Academic Pre ss.