A prominent researcher whose work has significantly contributed to the understanding of lateralization. His research suggests that a range of functions, including cause-and-effect reasoning and self-recognition, exhibit patterns of hemispheric dominance.

Michael Gazzaniga

Research indicates that the left hemisphere is generally superior for tasks such as forming associations in memory, maintaining selective attention, and processing positive emotions.

Specialized Functions of the Left Hemisphere

The right hemisphere has demonstrated superiority in specific functions, including the perception of pitch, regulation of arousal, and the processing of negative emotions.

Specialized Functions of the Right Hemisphere

A patient is admitted to the hospital after a stroke. They are experiencing significant difficulty forming coherent sentences and have paralysis on the right side of their body. Based on these symptoms, which hemisphere of the brain was most likely affected by the stroke? Explain your reasoning by describing the principle that connects the location of the brain damage to the side of the body that is paralyzed.

Neurological Symptom Analysis

Refers to the specialization of function in each of the brain's hemispheres. A primary example is the contralateral control of the body, where the left hemisphere governs the right side and the right hemisphere governs the left. This specialization is particularly evident in language functions.

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Columbia University

The brain is composed of two distinct halves, known as the left and right hemispheres. Each hemisphere is responsible for controlling the opposite side of the body.

Brain Hemispheres

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Lateralization

Refers to the thick band of neural fibers that connects the brain hemispheres to allow them to communicate with each other. 

Corpus Callosum

The cerebral cortex is the uneven outer surface of the brain, characterized by a distinctive pattern of raised bumps or folds (gyri) and depressions or grooves (sulci). It is associated with higher-level cognitive processes, including consciousness, thought, emotion, reasoning, language, and memory.

Cerebral Cortex

A fundamental principle of brain organization is that each cerebral hemisphere is primarily responsible for controlling the motor functions of the opposite, or contralateral, side of the body. For example, the right hemisphere directs movement on the left side of the body, while the left hemisphere directs movement on the right.

Contralateral Motor Control

Analyze the following clinical scenario and determine the likely location of the brain injury.

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