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Open Access CC BY V4.0
Journal article
Patterns of language and visuospatial lateralisation in three-year-old children
Neuropsychologia, Vol.226, 109434
2026
PMID: 41850594
Abstract
Little is known about how or when language and visuospatial processing lateralise in the brain, and if individual differences in lateralisation are related to early language or visuospatial abilities. We explored if patterns of language and visuospatial lateralisation are related to cognitive skills in young children. A large sample of 3-year-olds (n = 136) attempted two functional transcranial Doppler ultrasound (fTCD) tasks to estimate language and visuospatial lateralisation. At the group level, language was lateralised to the left hemisphere, but visuospatial processing was weakly lateralised to the right hemisphere. The relationship between patterns of lateralisation and cognitive skills was investigated using regression analyses with novel calculations of how typical a child's lateralisation pattern was, the degree of crowding of both functions to one hemisphere, or how strongly both functions were lateralised. Language and visuospatial abilities were not predicted by any of these measures. Degree of visuospatial lateralisation, and not language lateralisation, was associated with higher language ability. Future research should investigate if patterns of lateralisation are related to cognitive skills in older children, when lateralisation is more established.
Details
- Title
- Patterns of language and visuospatial lateralisation in three-year-old children
- Authors/Creators
- Josephine E. Quin-Conroy - The University of Western AustraliaDonna M. Bayliss - The University of Western AustraliaStephanie J. Bovell - Murdoch University, School of Allied HealthDebra Eamer - The Kids Research Institute AustraliaGeorgina H.M. Earl - The Kids Research Institute AustraliaSimon E. Fisher - Radboud University NijmegenClyde Francks - Radboud University NijmegenMurray T. Maybery - The University of Western AustraliaSarah Pillar - The Kids Research Institute AustraliaDesiree Silva - Edith Cowan UniversityAndrew J.O. Whitehouse - The University of Western AustraliaNicholas A. Badcock - School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, WA, Australia
- Publication Details
- Neuropsychologia, Vol.226, 109434
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd.
- Grant note
- DP160101174 / Australian Research Council (501100000923) National Health and Medical Research Council (http://data.elsevier.com/vocabulary/SciValFunders/501100000925) 1173896; 10306140 / National Health and Medical Research Council (http://data.elsevier.com/vocabulary/SciValFunders/501100000925) 1173896 / National Health and Medical Research Council (501100000925) Channel 7 Telethon Trust (http://data.elsevier.com/vocabulary/SciValFunders/100012155) HORIZON EUROPE Health (100018696) Australian Government (100015539) Kids Research Institute Australia and Joondalup Health Campus DP160101174 / Australian Research Council (http://data.elsevier.com/vocabulary/SciValFunders/501100000923) Channel 7 Telethon Trust (100012155)
- Identifiers
- 991005876854507891
- Copyright
- © 2026 The Authors.
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Psychology; School of Allied Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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