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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.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 11, 2026

Block Building Task Identifies Distinct Groups of Left/Right-hand Choice Patterns After Unilateral Peripheral Nerve Injury

Block Building Task Identifies Distinct Groups of Left/Right-hand Choice Patterns After Unilateral Peripheral Nerve Injury

Published on: March 21, 2025

Handedness and task demands modulate motor cortex lateralization: A cross-sectional fNIRS study.

Julien Bonnal¹, Ophélie Pila², Coraline Papin³

¹Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d'Orléans, Service de Neurologie, Orléans, France; Université d'Orléans, SAPRéM, Orléans, France; Université d'Orléans, Université Paris-Saclay, CIAMS, Orléans, France.

|November 11, 2025

Summary

Brain activation during upper limb motor control differs between right-handed and left-handed individuals. Left-handers show more bilateral brain activity, potentially aiding stroke recovery.

Keywords:

Cerebral activation Hand Handedness Laterality Motor cortex fNIRS

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Motor Control
Cerebral Hemispheric Lateralization

Background:

Motor control studies typically focus on right-handed individuals, overlooking factors influencing cortical activation asymmetry.
Manual preference, hand dominance, and task type significantly impact brain lateralization during motor tasks.

Purpose of the Study:

To compare cortical activation asymmetry in right-handed and left-handed individuals during distinct motor tasks.
To investigate the influence of manual laterality on brain organization during upper limb movement.

Main Methods:

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measured cortical activity in premotor cortex (PMC) and sensorimotor cortex (SMC).
25 right-handed and 25 left-handed participants performed distal and manipulation tasks with each hand.
A Laterality Index assessed left-right hemisphere activation asymmetry.

Main Results:

Right-handers exhibited predominantly contralateral cortical activation, while left-handers showed more bilateral activation.
Activation asymmetry was more pronounced when using the right hand (non-dominant for left-handers).
Task-specific motor demands modulated the degree of brain asymmetry.

Conclusions:

Left-handers display less asymmetrical brain organization than right-handers, possibly due to enhanced interhemispheric connectivity.
This bilateral organization in left-handers may facilitate neural recovery after conditions like stroke.
Manual laterality is a critical factor to consider in neurophysiological and clinical studies of central nervous system disorders.