Dominant hemisphere [Neurosurgery Wiki]

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====== Dominant hemisphere ======

see [[Hemispheric Dominance]]
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The dominant hemisphere refers to the side of the brain primarily responsible for certain higher-order functions, particularly [[language]] and fine [[motor skill]]s. In most individuals, the left hemisphere is dominant, but this can vary based on handedness and individual differences.

Key Functions of the Dominant Hemisphere:
Language and Communication:

Speech production (Broca's area)
Language comprehension (Wernicke's area)
Reading and writing
Fine Motor Control:

Skilled motor movements, especially in the dominant hand
Logical and Analytical Thinking:

Mathematics, reasoning, and problem-solving
Memory Related to Language:

Verbal memory and sequential processing
Determining Dominance:
The left hemisphere is dominant in about:
95% of right-handed individuals
70% of left-handed individuals
The right hemisphere is dominant for language in a smaller proportion of left-handed individuals or those with atypical brain organization.
Clinical Relevance:
Stroke or Brain Injury: Damage to the dominant hemisphere often leads to significant deficits in language (aphasia) and fine motor skills.
Epilepsy and Brain Surgery: Pre-surgical evaluations (e.g., Wada test, functional MRI) help identify the dominant hemisphere to preserve critical functions.
Hemispheric Specialization: While the dominant hemisphere handles structured and logical tasks, the non-dominant hemisphere typically governs spatial awareness, creativity, and emotional processing.