Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Lateralization

Lateralization

Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Oxygen uptake response to stroke rate manipulation in freestyle swimming.

Medicine and science in sports and exercise·2010

Same author

Relationship of biomechanical factors to baseball pitching velocity: within pitcher variation.

Journal of applied biomechanics·2005

Same author

Bilateral index expressions and iEMG activity in older versus young adults.

The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences·2003

Same author

Effect of a FastSkin suit on submaximal freestyle swimming.

Medicine and science in sports and exercise·2003

Same author

Impacts and kinematic adjustments during an exhaustive run.

Medicine and science in sports and exercise·2002

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Electroencephalography Network Indices as Biomarkers of Upper Limb Impairment in Chronic Stroke

Electroencephalography Network Indices as Biomarkers of Upper Limb Impairment in Chronic Stroke

Published on: July 14, 2023

Submaximal expression of the bilateral deficit.

Scott P McLean¹, Peter F Vint, Amanda J Stember

¹Department of Kinesiology, Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX 78627-0770, USA. mcleans@southwestern.edu

Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport

|October 6, 2006

Summary

The bilateral deficit, a reduction in force when performing tasks with both limbs, occurs even at lower intensities. This phenomenon involves both physiological and perceptual factors influencing performance.

More Related Videos

Motor Imagery Brain-Computer Interface in Rehabilitation of Upper Limb Motor Dysfunction After Stroke

Motor Imagery Brain-Computer Interface in Rehabilitation of Upper Limb Motor Dysfunction After Stroke

Published on: September 1, 2023

Evaluation of Hemisphere Lateralization with Bilateral Local Field Potential Recording in Secondary Motor Cortex of Mice

Evaluation of Hemisphere Lateralization with Bilateral Local Field Potential Recording in Secondary Motor Cortex of Mice

Published on: July 31, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Electroencephalography Network Indices as Biomarkers of Upper Limb Impairment in Chronic Stroke

Electroencephalography Network Indices as Biomarkers of Upper Limb Impairment in Chronic Stroke

Published on: July 14, 2023

Motor Imagery Brain-Computer Interface in Rehabilitation of Upper Limb Motor Dysfunction After Stroke

Motor Imagery Brain-Computer Interface in Rehabilitation of Upper Limb Motor Dysfunction After Stroke

Published on: September 1, 2023

Evaluation of Hemisphere Lateralization with Bilateral Local Field Potential Recording in Secondary Motor Cortex of Mice

Evaluation of Hemisphere Lateralization with Bilateral Local Field Potential Recording in Secondary Motor Cortex of Mice

Published on: July 31, 2019

Area of Science:

Human motor control
Exercise physiology
Neuromechanics

Background:

The bilateral deficit describes the phenomenon where the sum of forces generated by two limbs performing a task unilaterally exceeds the force generated when both limbs perform the same task bilaterally.
While often studied at maximal voluntary contractions, its presence and underlying mechanisms at submaximal efforts remain less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the existence and characteristics of the bilateral deficit during submaximal isometric elbow flexion.
To differentiate between perceptual and physiological components contributing to the bilateral deficit at varying intensities.

Main Methods:

Participants performed isometric elbow flexion tasks unilaterally and bilaterally at various percentage levels of perceived maximal effort (e.g., 100%, 75%, 50%, 25% or 100%, 80%, 60%, 40%, 20%).
Force output and perceived effort were recorded for each condition.
Analysis focused on quantifying the bilateral deficit and its relationship with effort intensity.

Main Results:

A significant bilateral deficit was observed across all tested submaximal effort levels, ranging from -10% to -16%.
Perception of effort was consistently higher in submaximal bilateral contractions compared to unilateral contractions (5.5-9.6%).
The bilateral deficit appears to comprise a component independent of conscious control and another inversely related to task intensity, influenced by perceptual differences.

Conclusions:

The bilateral deficit is present not only during maximal efforts but also during submaximal contractions.
Both physiological and perceptual factors contribute to the bilateral deficit, with perceptual differences playing a significant role, especially at lower intensities.