United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

COGNITION: Language lateralisation
and the brachial plexus
Such a simple experiment this, but so profound. This German-Hungarian
-American collaboration addresses how language becomes lateralised...
Fifteen subjects were studied, who had all had severe brachial plexus
injuries at birth so that one limb was flaccid and useless. Those subjects
who had injuries to the right arm had – on fMRI testing of word genera-
tion – much greater language representation on the right hemisphere
than in those with left arm injury. Furthermore, there was a correlation
between the degree of injury and the extent of left-to-right shift.
This is exciting because it shows that reduced arm or hand function
from a peripheral injury can lead to cortical reorganisation during lan-
guage development. This implies that lateralisation depends to some
extent on hand function. Perhaps our left hemisphere develops language
best when we can gesticulate freely with our right hand? – AJC
Auer T, Pinter S, Kovacs N, Kalmar Z, Nagy F, Horvath RA,
Koszo B, Kotek G, Perlaki G, Koves M, Kalman B, Komoly S,
Schwarcz A, Woermann FG, Janszky J.
Does obstetric brachial plexus injury influence speech
dominance?
ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY
2009;65(1):57-66

his is neat to read. Last semester my neuroscience teacher and I discussed this as the brain does not want to let any usable space go to waste so we tried to figure out where my brain reorganized he suggested a talent in music...which I think he is on to something I dont choose to express my musical talent but I can always tell when something is off. With training I could be amazing.
Something to think about anyway.

Thanks for posting Rich,
Amy 22 years old ROBPI from MN

Thanks for posting this Rich.
I have always thought this was a valid piece of the connection between MY Language Delvelopment/Speech issues & Cognition Developement issues& MY LOBPI. As a Social worker working with children and teens, I attended several "Right Brain-Left Brain" Seminars and Workshops thru the years and I deduced this connection to my own "left-sided birth Injury"/ "Hemiparises" [as I ONLY knew it was called back in THOSE years!! ] ....Oh wellll, better late than never, to be validated, I say!

Carolyn J
LOBPI/71

That is very interesting. My son (7) is ROBPI and is very musical and thrives in language arts and speech. =)

This is very interesting, thanks Rich.

Kath robpi/adult