Hemispheric lateralisation and immune function: a systematic review of human research

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Immunology
• Psychoneuroimmunology

Background:

• Hemispheric lateralisation (HL) and immune system functioning have been previously investigated.
• A comprehensive, up-to-date systematic review of this research area is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and evaluate published studies on the relationship between hemispheric lateralisation and immune system functioning.
• To assess the quality and effect sizes of existing research in this field.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted to identify relevant published studies.
• Eleven studies meeting the selection criteria were included in the review.
• Study quality and effect sizes were critically evaluated.

Main Results:

• Three studies indicated a link between weaker left hemisphere function and diminished immune function.
• Three studies found an association between weaker right hemisphere function and enhanced immune functioning.
• Five studies reported evidence for both relationships.
• The mean effect size across studies was r=0.536, suggesting a moderate to strong relationship.

Conclusions:

• The collective evidence suggests a relationship between left-hemispheric lateralisation and stronger immune system functioning.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and clinical implications of this association.