A lateralized brain network for visuospatial attention

Nat Neurosci. 2011 Sep 18;14(10):1245-6. doi: 10.1038/nn.2905.

Abstract

Right hemisphere dominance for visuospatial attention is characteristic of most humans, but its anatomical basis remains unknown. We report the first evidence in humans for a larger parieto-frontal network in the right than left hemisphere, and a significant correlation between the degree of anatomical lateralization and asymmetry of performance on visuospatial tasks. Our results suggest that hemispheric specialization is associated with an unbalanced speed of visuospatial processing.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Algorithms
  • Animals
  • Attention / physiology*
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Brain Mapping*
  • Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Female
  • Functional Laterality / physiology*
  • Haplorhini
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Male
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Pattern Recognition, Visual / physiology
  • Photic Stimulation / methods
  • Postmortem Changes
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology
  • PubMed / statistics & numerical data
  • Reaction Time / physiology
  • Space Perception / physiology*
  • Statistics as Topic
  • Stereotaxic Techniques
  • Visual Pathways / physiology
  • Young Adult