Evolution of Side Biases: Motor versus Sensory Lateralization

Abstract

A brain is said to be lateralized if the left and right sides (for example, the left and right hemispheres) differ from each other in either structure or function. This lateralization can often be seen in the whole animal as side biases in motor behaviour or differential perception of stimuli located on the left and right sides. In other cases lateralization may not be evident unless a region of the left or right side of the brain is damaged. In such cases, the effect of the lesion differs depending whether it is on the left or right side.