Qualitative hemispheric differences in semantic category matching

Author(s): Brugger, P., Weniger, D., Regard, M.

Journal/Book: Brain Lang. 1999; 70: 525 B St, Ste 1900, San Diego, CA 92101-4495, USA. Academic Press Inc. 119-131.

Abstract: A unilateral category matching task with words as stimuli was employed to investigate semantic processing in the right and left hemispheres (RH, LH). An overall right visual field (RVF)/LH dominance was observed and performances were better than chance, also in the left visual field (LVF)/RH. A qualitative analysis of reaction times with individual differences multidimensional scaling (INDSCAL) revealed that LVF/RH INDSCAL solutions were significantly more differentiated in structure than RVF/LH solutions in terms of number and size of dimensions. These findings support a depth of activation hypothesis of hemispheric processing, with the LH rapidly and focally and the RH slowly and diffusely activating the semantic network.

Note: Article Taylor KI, Univ Zurich Hosp, Dept Neurol, Neuropsychol Unit, CH-8091 Zurich, SWITZERLAND

Keyword(s): BRAIN-DAMAGED PATIENTS; CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES; WORD MEANINGS; RIGHT-HANDERS; ACTIVATION; FLUENCY

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