Lateralization of the Brain - Essay Example

Here Here Here Here Lateralization of the Brain A recent study by Marc Schmidt (2008) investigatesthe role of lateralization in the brain as it relates to information processing systems. It has been suggested that brain lateralization is an adaptive strategy that allows for multi-tasking, or the operation of two tasks at once. We will examine Schmidt’s study and will determine its contribution to the investigation of brain lateralization as a task adaptation. The author describes research that supports the hemispheric specialization, or lateralization, of the vertebrate brain.

This feature is also found in many other species, but most reliably in vertebrates. An investigation of hemisphere switching details findings that support the activation of both hemispheres, either simultaneously or alternating, during many conditions and on multiple time scales. By thoroughly describing cerebral activity that takes place during song production in birds, Schmidt highlights the observation of rapidly alternating behavior of hemispheric activity during transitions in the task. This journal article is a review of evidence related to the rapid switching that occurs between brain hemispheres during certain vertebrate tasks.

The specialization of brain hemispheres occurs in many areas, showing that the brain is not just a combination of two redundant systems. Rapid alternation suggests that lateralization is responsible for single tasks and may not be an adaptation related to multi-tasking. This study is limited by its lack of experimental design, though the theory and reviewed articles are strong.Work CitedSchmidt, Marc. “Using Both Sides of Your Brain: The Case for Rapid Interhemispheric Switching.” PLoS Biology 6.10 (2008): e269. Web. 29 Oct. 2011.