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Lateralization

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 6, 2025

Assessment of Cerebral Lateralization in Children using Functional Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound fTCD

Assessment of Cerebral Lateralization in Children using Functional Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound fTCD

Published on: September 27, 2010

Inconsistent language lateralisation - Testing the dissociable language laterality hypothesis using behaviour and

, Adam J Parker¹, Zoe V J Woodhead¹

¹Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, UK.

Cortex; a Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior

|July 1, 2022

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Language lateralization differs between generating words/sentences and understanding them. This study found at least two factors influence language representation in the brain, with left-handers showing less left-brain dominance.

Keywords:

Dichotic listening Functional transcranial Doppler ultrasound Handedness Language laterality Visual half-field

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Last Updated: Sep 6, 2025

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Published on: September 27, 2010

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Published on: February 26, 2020

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Published on: July 31, 2019

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Science
Psycholinguistics

Background:

Most individuals exhibit strong left-brain lateralization for language.
Some individuals show right- or bilateral language representation.
Receptive language tasks sometimes show reduced or absent lateralization, suggesting fractionation of language representation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate if different components of language lateralization dissociate within individuals.
To determine if these dissociations are more prevalent in left-handers.
To test if language laterality indices cluster around factors related to language generation versus reception.

Main Methods:

Two-stage study involving an online laterality battery (N=621) and functional transcranial Doppler ultrasound (fTCD) (N=230).
Tasks included dichotic listening, rhyme decision, word comprehension, and language generation/receptive tasks.
Data analyzed to identify factors influencing language lateralization in left- and right-handers.

Main Results:

A single language laterality factor was not supported by either online or fTCD measures.
Language generation tasks were generally left-lateralized.
Receptive tasks showed weak left-lateralization or slight right-lateralization (Word Comprehension).
A modified two-factor model fit the data, with distinct patterns for generation and reception tasks.
Left-handers exhibited lower scores on both factors, indicating less left-lateralization.

Conclusions:

Language lateralization is influenced by at least two factors, not strictly generation vs. comprehension.
These factors do not neatly align with language generation and receptive language components.
Future fMRI studies are recommended to elucidate the neural correlates of these factors.