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Hemisphere asymmetry for eye gaze mechanisms
K J Meador1, D W Loring, G P Lee
1Department of Neurology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912.
Brain : a Journal of Neurology
|February 1, 1989
Summary
Right brain hemisphere dominance influences gaze direction and attention. This study found greater eye deviation with right hemisphere stimulation in right-handed individuals, suggesting specialized roles in spatial attention.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cerebral Asymmetry
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Investigating hemispheric specialization is crucial for understanding brain function.
- Cerebral asymmetries in gaze control mechanisms remain incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine left/right asymmetries in cerebral gaze mechanisms.
- To correlate eye deviation with cerebral hemisphere stimulation in patients.
Main Methods:
- Evaluated eye deviation in 90 patients post-intracarotid sodium amylobarbitone injection.
- Compared eye deviation incidence and severity between left and right hemisphere injections.
Main Results:
- Right-handed subjects with left cerebral language dominance showed greater eye deviation with right hemisphere injections.
- Subjects with mixed language/handedness dominance exhibited no significant left/right difference in eye deviation.
Conclusions:
- Results support right cerebral hemisphere dominance for attentional and intentional mechanisms directed at external space.
- Cerebral asymmetry for gaze may stem from an evolutionary trade-off, with left hemisphere specialization for language potentially reducing its role in spatial attention.