Hemispheric Asymmetries in a Tactile Thought Task for Normal Subjects

1980 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 467-471
Author(s):  
Mayumi Yamamoto ◽  
Takeshi Hatta

14 normal subjects were given two tactile-recognition tasks. Subjects were asked to match the factually presented nonsense figures to the visual-recognition display on a Non-rotation task. On the Mental-rotation task subjects matched the tactile figures which were presented in various directions by means of mental rotation to the visual display. A greater superiority of the left hand on the Mental-rotation task was noted while on the Non-rotation task no differences between hands were shown. The right hemisphere may contribute more strongly to higher thought processes especially those which do not need verbal mediation.

Author(s):  
Sherma Zacharias ◽  
Andrew Kirk

ABSTRACT:Background:Constructional impairment following left vs. right hemisphere damage has been extensively studied using drawing tasks. A confounding factor in these studies is that right-handed patients with left hemisphere damage (LHD) are often forced by weakness to use their non-dominant (left) hand or hemiparetic dominant hand. Qualitative differences in the drawing characteristics of left and right hand drawings by normal subjects have not previously been characterized. The present study was undertaken to determine the qualitative differences between left and right hand drawings of normal subjects.Methods:Thirty right-handed, elderly subjects without a history of neurological disease were asked to draw, from memory, seven objects using the right and left hand. Half of the subjects were randomly assigned to draw with the left hand first, and half the right hand first. Right and left hand drawings were compared using a standardized scoring system utilized in several previous studies of drawing in focal and diffuse neurological disease. Each drawing was scored on eighteen criteria. Right and left hand drawing scores were then compared using the t-test for paired samples or the Wilcoxon matched-pairs testResults:Drawings made using the left hand were found to be significantly simpler, more tremulous and of poorer overall quality than drawings made by the same subjects using the right hand.Conclusions:The deficits found in left versus right hand drawings of normals are similar to those found in patients with LHD, suggesting that much of the drawing impairment seen following LHD is due to an elementary motor disturbance related to use of the non-dominant hand.


2005 ◽  
Vol 93 (2) ◽  
pp. 1020-1034 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eiichi Naito ◽  
Per E. Roland ◽  
Christian Grefkes ◽  
H. J. Choi ◽  
Simon Eickhoff ◽  
...  

We have previously shown that motor areas are engaged when subjects experience illusory limb movements elicited by tendon vibration. However, traditionally cytoarchitectonic area 2 is held responsible for kinesthesia. Here we use functional magnetic resonance imaging and cytoarchitectural mapping to examine whether area 2 is engaged in kinesthesia, whether it is engaged bilaterally because area 2 in non-human primates has strong callosal connections, which other areas are active members of the network for kinesthesia, and if there is a dominance for the right hemisphere in kinesthesia as has been suggested. Ten right-handed blindfolded healthy subjects participated. The tendon of the extensor carpi ulnaris muscles of the right or left hand was vibrated at 80 Hz, which elicited illusory palmar flexion in an immobile hand (illusion). As control we applied identical stimuli to the skin over the processus styloideus ulnae, which did not elicit any illusions (vibration). We found robust activations in cortical motor areas [areas 4a, 4p, 6; dorsal premotor cortex (PMD) and bilateral supplementary motor area (SMA)] and ipsilateral cerebellum during kinesthetic illusions (illusion-vibration). The illusions also activated contralateral area 2 and right area 2 was active in common irrespective of illusions of right or left hand. Right areas 44, 45, anterior part of intraparietal region (IP1) and caudo-lateral part of parietal opercular region (OP1), cortex rostral to PMD, anterior insula and superior temporal gyrus were also activated in common during illusions of right or left hand. These right-sided areas were significantly more activated than the corresponding areas in the left hemisphere. The present data, together with our previous results, suggest that human kinesthesia is associated with a network of active brain areas that consists of motor areas, cerebellum, and the right fronto-parietal areas including high-order somatosensory areas. Furthermore, our results provide evidence for a right hemisphere dominance for perception of limb movement.


1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 803-810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Rastatter ◽  
Catherine Loren

The current study investigated the capacity of the right hemisphere to process verbs using a paradigm proven reliable for predicting differential, minor hemisphere lexical analysis in the normal, intact brain. Vocal reaction times of normal subjects were measured to unilaterally presented verbs of high and of low frequency. A significant interaction was noted between the stimulus items and visual fields. Post hoc tests showed that vocal reaction times to verbs of high frequency were significantly faster following right visual-field presentations (right hemisphere). No significant differences in vocal reaction time occurred between the two visual fields for the verbs of low frequency. Also, significant differences were observed between the two types of verbs following left visual-field presentation but not the right. These results were interpreted to suggest that right-hemispheric analysis was restricted to the verbs of high frequency in the presence of a dominant left hemisphere.


1973 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 875-880
Author(s):  
Kenneth M. Kleinman ◽  
Lawrence H. Cloninger

32 Ss were initially exposed to wooden shapes of both high and low meaningfulness. Two shapes were presented to the left hand and 2 were presented to the right hand, each for 5 sec. Each shape was presented twice. Vision was blocked and verbal mediation was minimized. Following initial exposure, Ss were tested for recognition of the shapes previously presented. Eight shapes were presented to one hand, each for 5 sec. Two shapes had previously been presented to the opposite hand, 2 had previously been presented to the same hand, and 4 had never before been presented. Half the Ss were exposed to and tested with low followed by high meaningful shapes; half were tested in the reverse sequence. Though there was generally inferior recognition of the low meaningful shapes, both high and low meaningful shapes initially exposed to the opposite hand were recognized as frequently as those initially exposed to the same hand. The results indicated that transmission of tactual information via the corpus callosum was independent of task difficulty.


1983 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 551-554 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Preston Harley ◽  
Jordan Grafman

Accuracy of perception of 4 numbers tactilely presented to fingers of both hands by 56 right-handed adult males who were hospitalized but showed no positive neurological signs was greater for the left hand. Middle fingers were superior; number 4 was most easily identified. Findings suggest superior capacity of the right hemisphere for this task.


1998 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 967-975 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian K. V. Maraj ◽  
Digby Elliott ◽  
James Lyons ◽  
Eric A. Roy ◽  
Tamara Winchester

Two experiments were conducted to examine manual asymmetries in a one-dimensional aiming task. In Exp. 1, 10 right-handed adults slid a computer mouse 13 cm on a graphics tablet with both the right and left hands to targets of 3 different diameters. Under these conditions, the movement time for the right hand was significantly faster as expected. In Exp. 2, subjects performed similar movements to move a cursor 13 cm on a computer monitor. Thus the study was identical except the stimulus-response mapping was indirect. In this situation, there were no significant differences for either movement time or movement error between hands despite these performance measures indicating that target aiming was more difficult in Exp. 2. Because increases in task difficulty generally result in a greater advantage for the right hand, as indicated by Todor & Smiley, 1985, the present studies suggest that superiority of the right hand in aiming tasks may be diminished when spatial translation is required. Perhaps the spatial translation requires greater involvement of the right hemisphere, a process associated with manual advantage for the left hand, previously suggested by Roy and MacKenzie.


2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 111-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Heidler-Gary ◽  
Mikolaj Pawlak ◽  
Edward H. Herskovits ◽  
Melissa Newhart ◽  
Cameron Davis ◽  
...  

Objective:Test the hypothesis that right hemisphere stroke can cause extinction of left hand movements or movements of either hand held in left space, when both are used simultaneously, possibly depending on lesion site.Methods:93 non-hemiplegic patients with acute right hemisphere stroke were tested for motor extinction by pressing a counter rapidly for one minute with the right hand, left hand, or both simultaneously with their hands held at their sides, or crossed over midline.Results:We identified two distinct types of motor extinction in separate patients; 20 patients extinguished left hand movements held in left or right space (left canonical body extinction); the most significantly associated voxel cluster of ischemic tissue was in the right temporal white matter. Seven patients extinguished either hand held in left space (left space extinction), and the most significantly associated voxel cluster of ischemic tissue was in right parietal white matter.Conclusions:There was a double dissociation between left canonical body extinction and left space motor extinction. Left canonical body extinction seems to be associated with more dorsal (parietal) ischemia, and left canonical body extinction seems to be associated with more ventral (temporal) ischemia.


1982 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 655-660 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Brizzolara ◽  
Gianni L. De Nobili ◽  
Giovanni Ferretti

The role of the right hemisphere in a task of haptic discrimination of line orientation was studied in 16 children aged 7–6 and 16 adults aged 25 yr. The exploratory movements were limited to hand and wrist, since it has been shown that distal movements are mediated by the contralateral hemisphere. A comparison of the performance of the two hands shows a clear superiority of the left hand and inferred right hemisphere in both children and adults. An especial emphasis in the discussion is given to the role of the experimental procedure in enhancing the effect of the hemispheric functional asymmetries.


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