Smoking modulates language lateralization in a sex-specific way

▶ Smoking impairs stimulus recognition in dichotic listening in men, but not in women. ▶ Smoking reduces laterality index (LI) in men, and slightly increases LI in women. ▶ Among non-smokers, men process phonetic stimuli more lateralized than women. ▶ Among heavy smokers, women process phonetic stimuli more lateralized than men.