[Laterality of food handling movements in rats].

Lateralization of motor food skills has been investigated on 77 adult white rats. The predominance for the left anterior extremity while carrying out food was found in 53.5% of rats, the right extremity--in 36.4% of rats. 10.3% of rats belonged to ambidexters. Prevalence of using left extremity was peculiar to the females as against the male ones. Three generations of left-handed rats obtained by crossing have been followed. Rats making use of the left extremity to take out food predominated in the second and third generates.