Abstract. Aims and methods: The aim of the study was to investigate left foot dominance as a biological marker of neurodevelopmental disorder in schizophrenia. Four complex foot dominance tests, administered as performance assessments, not as preference questionnaires, were assessed in a sample of 180 subjects (98 patients with schizophrenia and 82 control subjects). Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA), non-parametric and cluster analyses were performed. Results: Left foot dominance was significantly higher in schizophrenia patients compared to control subjects. Clinical implications: Cultural pressures are less likely to impact foot preference than hand preference, suggesting that foot dominance is a better indicator of lateralization among different countries and societies.

Key words: schizophrenia, neurodevelopmental disorder, lateralization, foot dominance, biological marker, complex foot dominance tests

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