The lateralized brain: the neuroscience and evolution of hemispheric asymmetries

Hemispheric asymmetries, that is, the functional or structural differences between the left and the right hemispheres of the brain, are one of the major organizational principles of the human nervous system. Many cognitive systems are asymmetrically organized, including among others, language, memory, social cognition, spatial attention and emotion. Interestingly, hemispheric asymmetries seem to be altered in a number of neurocognitive and psychiatric disorders, making a profound knowledge of the topic important for clinicians, too.

The widespread use of modern neuroimaging techniques such as fMRI and DTI as well as modern molecular genetic techniques has completely changed the way hemispheric asymmetries are currently investigated. Authored by world-renowned researchers in the field, this book is a comprehensive up-to-date teaching resource for neuroscience faculty members that teach courses concerning hemispheric asymmetries, providing students with all relevant information on the subject in a single book. This resource also provides aspiring researchers in the field an up-to-date overview of relevant previous work in the field, meeting the needs of two distinct audiences. Hemispheric Asymmetries in the Brain is a valuable, up-to-date learning resource for students attending courses on hemispheric asymmetries, and a comprehensive introduction into the topic for all researchers interested in starting scientific project in this exciting field of study.

• Chapters include references (key articles, books, protocols, online resources) for additional detailed study
• Classic studies that helped defining the field will be presented in detail in separate boxes
• Key concepts and methods will be explained in separate boxed for quick overview
• Introductory short stories (e.g. classic clinical cases) provide an interesting starting point for every chapter