Glandular dominance in humans.

Abstract

Although an identity of reaction of the 2 parotid glands was assumed by earlier investigators, a significant difference between the rate of flow from both glands in 69 of the 78 subjects studied. This dominance of one gland over the other was maintained in most subjects for activated as well as inactivated secretions. A possible sex variation was indicated. 67% of the [male] subjects were left-glanded; whereas only 14% of the [female] subjects were left-glanded. 26% of the [male][male] were right-glanded, while 64% of the [female][female] were right-glanded. 7% of the [male][male] and 22% of the [female][female] showed no glandular dominance and were considered to be ambi-glanded. Although bilateral studies on other organs and functions revealed that a far greater proportion of the population showed a "right-sided" dominance, no such tendency existed for parotid function. Thus, although 90% of subjects were right-sided, there were only 44% who were right-glanded. Though 10% of the subjects were "left-sided," 41% were left-glanded. Parotid glandular dominance did not seem to be related to handedness, footedness, eyed-ness, or earedness.