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Grasp-Reflex Strength from Right and Left Hands in Relation to Serum Cortisol
Level and Fetal Position in Human Neonates
Üner Tan a; Nevin Zor b
a
Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey b Department of Obstetrics
and Gynaecology, Medical Faculty, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey

Online Publication Date: 01 January 1994

To cite this Article Tan, Üner and Zor, Nevin(1994)'Grasp-Reflex Strength from Right and Left Hands in Relation to Serum Cortisol
Level and Fetal Position in Human Neonates',International Journal of Neuroscience,74:1,27 — 32
To link to this Article: DOI: 10.3109/00207459408987226
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/00207459408987226

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 Intern. J . Neuroscience, 1994. Vol. 74, pp. 27-32 Q 1994 Gordon and Breach Science Publishers S.A.
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GRASP-REFLEX STRENGTH FROM RIGHT AND

LEFT HANDS IN RELATION TO SERUM
CORTISOL LEVEL AND FETAL POSITION
IN HUMAN NEONATES
UNER TAN
Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey

N E V ~ NZOR
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical Faculty, Ataturk University,
Erzurum, Turkey

(Received June I , 1993)

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The grasp-reflex strengths from right (R) and left (L) hands were studied in human neonates in relation
to serum cortisol levels and fetal position. In males with right-ear out, there was no correlation between
grasp-reflex strength from right hand and cortisol. The grasp-reflex strength from left hand significantly
decreased as cortisol increased linearly in these subjects. In males with left-ear out, the grasp-reflex
strengths from right and left hands were found to be negatively linearly correlated with serum cortisol
level. In females with right-ear out, the grasp-reflex strength from right hand was not significantly
correlated with cortisol, but grasp reflex from left hand linearly decreased as cortisol increased. In fe-
males with left-ear out, only the grasp reflex from right hand linearly increased with cortisol. Only in
males with right-ear out, the R-L grasp-reflex strength linearly increased from left dominance toward
right dominance. It was concluded that the stress hormone cortisol may be disadvantageous and/or
advantageous for the prenatal development of the right and left brain according to fetal position; cortisol
may also affect the emergence of cerebral lateralization.

Keywords: Grasp reflex, cortisol, cerebral laterulizution, stress. human neonate.

Gordon (1921) has stated that perinatal stress would cause left-handedness, which
was later regarded as a manifestation of prenatal or perinatal stress by Bakan (Bakan,
1971, 1975, 1978; Bakan et al., 1973). According to Bakan’s hypothesis, the human
brain may be reorganized as a result of pregnancy and birth complications, resulting
in reduction of right hand use or efficacy. If so, there must be a correlation between
the stress hormone cortisol and the degree of handedness in human neonates. De
Kloet (1991) has indeed reported that glococorticoid receptor density was high in
brain regions involved in organization of the stress response. To test the above hy-
pothesis, we measured the grasp-reflex strengths from the right and left hands and
serum cortisol levels in human neonates just after birth. On the other hand, Previc
(1991) has recently argued that the origins of cerebral lateralization may be asso-
ciated with asymmetric prenatal development of the ear and labyrinth. Therefore,
we analyzed the results in two groups of neonates according to their prenatal posi-
tions: neonates with right-ear facing out and neonates with left-ear facing out. The
relations of grasp-reflex strengths to serum cortisol levels were found to be different
in these two groups.

Address correspondence to Prof. Dr. Uner Tan, Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Ataturk
University, Erzurum, Turkey.

27
 28 U TAN AND N. ZOR

METHODS

The experiments were performed in 16 male and 13 female neonates just after birth.
To measure the grasp-reflex strength, a small balloon was attached to the pistonring
of an injector connected to a resistance, which was connected to an ohmmeter and
ammeter. The balloon was brought to contact with the palmar surface of the neo-
nate’s hand. The fingers reflexly closed and the resistance decreased, the current
increased, which was recorded from ammeter. The grasp-reflex strength measured
by this way was expressed as arbitrary units. The grasp-reflex strengths from the
right and left hands were measured alternatively in ten trials for each hand. The
mean grasp-reflex strengths were then evaluated for each hand.
To measure the serum cortisol level, blood samples were taken from the umbilical
artery of the neonate immediately after birth. Serum cortisol level was measured
using the Coat-A-Count procedure (a solid-phase radioimmunoassay), which is avail-
able commercially (Diagnostic Products Corporation).
Following this procedure, the grasp-retlex strength was measured in these newborn
babies. Before birth, the fetal positions were assessed and expressed as right-ear
facing out and left-ear facing out according to the position of the neonate’s back in
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utero .

RESULTS
Mule Neonates
Figure I illustrates the relations of the grasp-reflex strengths from right and left hands
to serum cortisol levels in male neonates. In subjects with right-ear out position,
there was no significant correlation between grasp-reflex strength from right hand
and serum cortisol level ( r = .03, t = .07, df = 7 , p = .95; see Figure 1A). In
contrast, the grasp-reflex strength from the left hand was found to be negatively
linearly correlated with serum cortisol level in the same subjects. This relationship
was statistically significant ( r = -.70, t = 2.38, df= 7 , p = .049; see Figure 1B).
In male neonates with left-ear out position, there was a significant negative linear
correlation between the grasp-reflex strength from the right hand and serum cortisol
level ( r = -.87, t = 4.33, df = 7 , p = .005; see Figure 1C). The grasp-reflex
strength from the left hand also showed a significant negative linear correlation with
serum cortisol level in the same subjects ( r = -.79, t = 3.18, df = 7 , p = .019;
see Figure ID).

Female Neonudes
Figure 2 illustrates the relations of the grasp-reflex strengths from the right and left
hands to serum cortisol levels in the female neonates. I n subjects with right-ear out
position, there was no significant correlation between the grasp-reflex strength from
the right hand and serum cortisol level ( r = - .53,t = I .66, df = 8 , p = ,14; see
Figure 2A). However, the grasp-reflex strength negatively linearly correlated with
serum cortisol level in the same neonates, which was statistically significant ( r =
-.66, t = 2.34, df = 8 , p = .05; see Figure 2B).
The sample size of the female neonates with left-ear out position was small (N =
4). The grasp-reflex strength from the right hand showed a marginally significant
positive linear correlation with serum cortisol level in these subjects ( r = .89, t =
 GRASP REFLEX AND CORTISOL 29

A . GRASP REFLEX FROH RIGHT HAND AND B. GRASP REFLEX FROH LEFT HAND AND
CORTISOL IN HALES (RIGHT-EAR OUT) CORTISOL IN HALES (RIGHT-EAR OUT)

0 6 12
cort. (microg/dL)

C. GRASP REFLEX FROH RIGHT HAND AND D. GRASP REFLEX FROH LEFT HAND AND
CORTISOL IN HALES (LEFT-EAR OUT) CORTISOL IN HALES (LEFT-EAR OUT)
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6 15 24 6 15 24
cort. (microg/dL) cort. (microg/dL)
FIGURE 1 Relations of grasp-reflex strengths from right and left hands to serum cortisol levels in
neonates with prenatal right-ear facing out and left-ear facing out positions Abscissa: serum cortisol level
(pg/dL) Ordinate: grasp-reflex strength (arbitrary units). A: grasp reflex from right hand and cortisol
in male neonates with right-ear facing out. B: grasp reflex from left hand and cortisol in male neonates
with right-ear facing out ( y = 9.1 - . I 3 x). C: grasp reflex from right hand and cortisol in male neonates
with left-ear facing out ( y = 9.9 - . I x). D: grasp reflex from left hand and cortisol in male neonates
with left-ear facing out (y = 9.9 - .1 x).

2.76, df = 3, p = .lo; see Figure 2C). There was, however, no significant corre-
lation between the grasp-reflex from the left hand and serum cortisol level in the
same subjects (r = .60, t = 1.05, df = 3 , p = .40; see Figure 2D).

Right Minus Le@ Grasp-RefZex And Cortisol

Figure 3 illustrates the relationship between R-L grasp-reflex strength and serum
cortisol level in the male neonates. In males with right-ear out, the R-L grasp-reflex
strength positively linearly correlated with serum cortisol level, which was statisti-
cally significant ( r = .80, t = 2.32, df = 7, p = .016; see Figure 3A). In contrast,
there was no significant correlation between the R-L grasp-reflex strength and serum
cortisol level in males with left-ear out position ( r = .21, t = .52, df = 7, p = .62;
see Figure 3B).
 30 ij T A N A N D N . ZOR
A. GRASP REFLEX FROH RIGHT HAND us
CORTISOL IN FEMALES (RIGHT-EAR OUT)
.-__
. , . . I
,
..... I ........ I

C. GRASP REFLEX FROH RIGHT HAND us D. GRASP REFLEX FROM LEFT HAND us
CORTISOL IN FEMALES (LEFT-EAR OUT) CORTISOL IN FEMALES (LEFT-EAR OUT)
Downloaded By: [TÜBTAK EKUAL] At: 09:36 13 April 2009

c
c,
Fe, J
bl
rv) 7
CI
e,
' 8
5.5 6.5 7.5 8.5 5.5 6.5 7.5 8.5
cort . (microg/dL) cort . (m icrog/dL 1
FIGURE 2 Relations of graspreflex strengths from right and left hands t o serum cortisol levels in
female neonateb Abscissa: serum cortisol level (pg/dL) Ordinate: grasp-reflex strength (arbitrary units).
A : grasp reflex from right hand cortisol in females with right-ear lacing out ( J = 9.0 - .06 x). B:
graspreflex from left hand and cortisol in females with right-ear Facing nut ( y = 8.4 - .03 x ) C: grasp
reflex from right hand and cortisol in females with left-ear out ( y = 4.9 + . S x ) . D: grasp reflex from
left hand and cortisol in females with left-ear out ( y = 6.4 + . 3 x).

I n the female neonates with right-ear out, the R-L grasp-reflex strength was not
significantly correlated with serum cortisol level ( r = -. 14, I = .34, df = 7, p =
.75). There was also no significant correlation between the R-L grasp-reflex strength
and cortisol in the female neonates with left-ear out ( r = .34, t = .52, df = 3 , p =
.66).

DISCUSSION

In the male and female human neonates with right-ear facing out in utero, the grasp-
reflex strength was found to be negatively linearly correlated with serum cortisol
level, but only for the left hand. In fact, it is known that glicorticorticoids suppress
neuronal excitability (Dafny et al., 1973; De Kloet, 1991; Pfaff et al., 1971; Saphier,
1987). The above results showed now that this effect is not symmetric in the brain.
 GRASP REFLEX AND CORTISOL 31

A , R-L GRASP REFLEX US CORTISOL B . R-L GRASP REFLEX US CORTISOL

IN MALES (RIGHT-EAR OUT) IN HALES (LEFT-EAR OUT)
1

0.5

I 4 0
I
K
-0.5 JI
K
-0.4 1:...........'('"...' ... ' j ....................
0 6 12 0 12 24
cort. (microg/dL) cort. Imicrog/dL)
FIGURE 3 The relationships between R-L grasp-reflex strength and serum cortisol level in male neo-
nates Abscissa: serum cortisol level (pg/dL) Ordinate: R-L grasp-reflex strength (arbitrary units). A:
male neonates with right-ear facing out ( y = - . 5 + . I x). B: male neonates with left-ear facing out.
Downloaded By: [TÜBTAK EKUAL] At: 09:36 13 April 2009

Only the grasp reflex from left hand decreased directly with cortisol levels. Thus,
the right brain is sensitive to suppressive effects of cortisol.
Interestingly enough, the grasp-reflex strength decreased linearly with increasing
cortisol levels in male neonates with left-ear out. In female neonates with left-ear
out, the grasp reflex from the right hand seemed to increase with cortisol levels;
there was no significant correlation the grasp-reflex strength from the left hand and
cortisol. These results support the theory of cerebral lateralization concerning the
asymmetric development of the ear and labyrinth (Previc, 1991).
According to Previc's theory, an in utero position of fetus with right-ear out would
contribute to a left-hemispheric advantage in speech perception and language func-
tions; a left-otolithic dominance (left-ear out) may cause a right-sided motor domi-
nance and a right-hemisphere dominance in visuospatial functions. The results of the
present work showed that cortisol may have suppressive effects on neuronal activity
according to the position of fetus with right-ear facing out and left-ear facing out.
Thus, cortisol may affect the grasp-reflex activity differentially according to fetal
position. This, in turn, supports the above mentioned Previc's theory of cerebral
lateralization. Additionally, there was a positive linear correlation between R-L grasp-
reflex strength and cortisol, but only in male neonates with right-ear facing out; there
was no correlation between these parameters in males with left-ear facing out. These
results also support the Previc theory of cerebral lateralization. Namely, the prenatal
development of the ear and labyrinth may at least contribute to cerebral lateralization.
As mentioned above, Bakan has argued that prenatal and/or perinatal stressors
may cause left-handedness in humans. It is well known that glucocorticoids are strongly
associated with stress and adaptation (Ganong, 1987). We have expected that cortisol
may asymmetrically suppress the reflex activity in neonates, which would create left-
hand dominance in neonates. As expected, cortisol affected reflex excitability asym-
metrically, but only in male neonates with right-ear facing out. This effect created,
however, a right-hand dominance instead of left-hand dominance. Thus, the stress
hormone cortisol did not contribute to the emergence of a left-sided motor dominance
in contrast to Bakan's theory of left-handedness. These results may be accounted for
by the suppressive effects of cortisol on neuronal excitability asymmetrically. In
 32 U TAN AND N. ZOR

accordance with these results, Searleman et al. (1989) have reported in a critical
review that “more direct measures of birth stress indicated that deviations from right-
handedness (particularly for male subjects), and also right-eyedness, were statisti-
cally related to specific birth stressors”. These authors have also stated that all the
relationships were very weak; the statistical significance was largely due to huge
sample sizes. We think that Searleman and his co-workers would reach more con-
clusive results if they had consider the prenatal positions, too.

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