The Cerebrum

The cerebrum is the part of your brain that controls muscle functions. It is divided into two hemispheres: a left hemisphere and a right hemisphere. Each hemisphere receives sensory information from the opposite side of the body. The left hemisphere controls your right side of the body, and your right hemisphere controls your left side of the body. The two hemispheres are also responsible for different functions.  

Left Hemisphere: The “Rational” Side	Right Hemisphere: The “Intuitive” Side
Speech production and understanding language (i.e., speaking, reading, writing, and listening)  Verbal memory   Logic  Reasoning   Computational and number skills  Analyzing information  Sequential thinking   Time awareness   Controls right-side motor skills and right field vision	Body awareness  Spatial relationships (i.e., knowing the positions of things in space)  Recognition of faces, objects, and places  Intuition   Expressing and understanding emotion  Imagination   Music and art awareness   Controls left-side motor skills and left field vision

Damage to the hemispheres may lead to different outcomes, depending on which hemisphere is affected. 

Damage to Left Hemisphere	Damage to Right Hemisphere
Movement problems of right arm and leg  Weakness or paralysis on right side of the body   Impaired right field vision  Impaired hearing in right ear  Difficulty understanding spoken or written language  Difficulty expressing spoken or written language  Difficulty coordinating movements for speaking  Impaired computational and problem-solving skills	Movement problems of left arm and leg  Weakness or paralysis on left side of the body   Impaired left field vision  Impaired hearing in left ear   Difficulty understanding abstract language or information  Difficulty concentrating or paying attention  Disorganized speech and thought  Impaired reasoning and judgment   Impaired visual perceptual skills  Difficulty planning and organizing

There are general strategies that affected individuals can use to treat these symptoms.  

• Try seeking speech therapy, occupational therapy, and/or physical therapy  
• Avoid neglecting the affected side of your body.  
• Try using the affected arm as much as possible (if you can), even with the help of your non-affected arm.  
• Put objects on the neglected side so you can attend more to that side more often 
• Practice visual scanning techniques to help with impaired visual field. Examples include: 
  • Putting brightly colored tape on left side of book to help you look at the left side first, then you can practice reading from left to right 
  • Playing iSpy or Spot the Difference  
  • Breaking down a task into smaller components if the task is too difficult    
  • Reduce distractions to help with attention (i.e., turn off TV) 
  • Engage in mobile apps, games, or brain exercises that aim to improve cognitive skills, such as memory, attention, and problem-solving (i.e., Lumosity) 

References: 

Kalat, J. W. (2017). Biological Psychology. Cengage. 

https://my-ms.org/anatomy_brain_part1.htm 

https://bouve.northeastern.edu/nutraumaticbraininjury/braintbi-anatomy/brain-functions/ 

https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/right-hemisphere-damage/#collapse_2 

https://constanttherapyhealth.com/brainwire/right-brain-injury-vs-left-brain-injury-understanding-impact-brain-injury-daily-life/