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| The Left Brain and the Right Brain |
The Left Brain and the Right Brain
Most structures on the right side of the brain are duplicated by similar structures on the left, and most components are designed to control functions on the opposite side of the body. A massive neural link, the corpus callosum, connects the left and right sides of the brain. This connection provides a natural backup in which most neural control mechanisms are duplicated in the right and left sides of the brain. If one side of the brain is damaged, there is still a good chance that an individual can survive using the backup functionality in the other half of the brain.
Most structures on the right side of the brain are duplicated by similar structures on the left, and most components are designed to control functions on the opposite side of the body. A massive neural link, the corpus callosum, connects the left and right sides of the brain. This connection provides a natural backup in which most neural control mechanisms are duplicated in the right and left sides of the brain. If one side of the brain is damaged, there is still a good chance that an individual can survive using the backup functionality in the other half of the brain.
There are minor differences between the right and left sides of your brain. In a typical right-handed person, the left cerebral cortex controls language analysis and speech production, and tends to process information one item at a time in a sequential manner. In the same right-handed person, the right cerebral cortex tends to process information holistically to gain an overall impression.
Most humans display a distinct preference for using the right hand, both for fine motor activities such as writing, and for power activities such as swinging a bat or club in sports. In fact the whole right side of a right-handed person tends to be dominant over the left. People tend to have a dominant eye, a dominant ear, a dominant arm, and a dominant leg – all on the same side. Since body parts are controlled by the opposite side of the brain, in these people the left cerebral cortex tends to dominate.
This arrangement, with each half of the brain managing the opposite side of the body, is common across the animal kingdom. When combined with the concept of a dominant side, the neural crossover may provide a distinct survival advantage. If a creature were involved in a life and death struggle it would tend to turn its strongest side towards the most immediate enemy. With the crossover brain structure, this posture automatically moves the dominant half-brain away from the enemy. The dominant half-brain is thus better protected and can continue to direct moves for attack and defence even if the leading half-brain is damaged.
About 86% of the population is right-handed, and these people process language in the left cerebral cortex. The remaining 14% can be divided into three groups:
1. About 2% are pure left-handers and process language in the right cerebral cortex. Their brains are left-right mirror images of right-handed people.
2. About 4% process language in both sides of the brain. These people tend to be ambidextrous and can write or play sports equally well with either hand.
3. About 8% have a mixed dominance. These people tend to perform some tasks with their right hand and some with their left hand, and process language on the same side as their dominant hand. Those with mixed dominance often have difficulty distinguishing right from left, but sometimes find it easier to view a situation holistically rather than seeing it as composed of individual components.
Most humans display a distinct preference for using the right hand, both for fine motor activities such as writing, and for power activities such as swinging a bat or club in sports. In fact the whole right side of a right-handed person tends to be dominant over the left. People tend to have a dominant eye, a dominant ear, a dominant arm, and a dominant leg – all on the same side. Since body parts are controlled by the opposite side of the brain, in these people the left cerebral cortex tends to dominate.
This arrangement, with each half of the brain managing the opposite side of the body, is common across the animal kingdom. When combined with the concept of a dominant side, the neural crossover may provide a distinct survival advantage. If a creature were involved in a life and death struggle it would tend to turn its strongest side towards the most immediate enemy. With the crossover brain structure, this posture automatically moves the dominant half-brain away from the enemy. The dominant half-brain is thus better protected and can continue to direct moves for attack and defence even if the leading half-brain is damaged.
About 86% of the population is right-handed, and these people process language in the left cerebral cortex. The remaining 14% can be divided into three groups:
1. About 2% are pure left-handers and process language in the right cerebral cortex. Their brains are left-right mirror images of right-handed people.
2. About 4% process language in both sides of the brain. These people tend to be ambidextrous and can write or play sports equally well with either hand.
3. About 8% have a mixed dominance. These people tend to perform some tasks with their right hand and some with their left hand, and process language on the same side as their dominant hand. Those with mixed dominance often have difficulty distinguishing right from left, but sometimes find it easier to view a situation holistically rather than seeing it as composed of individual components.
