Home > Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders > Cerebral Dominance

Definition

Cerebral dominance refers to the dominance of one cerebral hemisphere over the other in the control of cerebral functions.

Description

Cerebral dominance is the ability of one cerebral hemisphere (commonly referred to as the left or right side of the brain) to predominately control specific tasks. Accordingly, damage to a specific hemisphere can result in an impairment of certain identifiable functions. For example, trauma to the left hemisphere can impair functions associated with speech, reading, and writing. Trauma to the right hemisphere can result in a decreased ability to perform such tasks as judging distance, determining direction, and recognizing tones and similar artistic functions.

Cerebral dominance and handedness

Cerebral dominance is also related to handedness—whether a person has a strong preference for the use of their right or left hand. More than 90% of people are...