Language Lateralization and Psychosis

by Iris E. C. Sommer (Editor), René S. Kahn (Editor)

Overview

In 1861 Paul Broca discovered that, in most individuals, the left hemisphere of the brain is dominant for language. Taking language as an example, the first part of this book explains the normal development of bodily asymmetry and lateralization, its association with hand preference, genetic aspects, geographical differences and the influence of gender. The coverage then moves on to review the association between language lateralization and psychosis, describing findings in patients with schizophrenia to suggest the dominant hemisphere may fail to completely inhibit the language areas in the non-dominant half. The language allowed to 'release' from the right hemisphere can lead to psychotic symptoms including auditory verbal hallucinations and formal thought disorder. This book should be read by psychiatrists, neurologists and neuroscientists working in the field of psychosis and other brain scientists interested in laterality.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780511738760
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	04/16/2009
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Iris E. C. Sommer is a Psychiatrist and Researcher at the Neuroscience Department, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands.
René S. Kahn is Professor of Psychiatry and Chairman of the Neuroscience Department, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Table of Contents

List of contributors; Preface; Part I. Asymmetry, Handedness and Language Lateralization: 1. Molecular mechanisms establishing consistent left-right asymmetry during vertebrate embryogenesis Sherry Aw and Michael Levin; 2. Cerebral lateralization in animal species Onur Güntürkün; 3. The history and geography of human handedness I. C. McManus; 4. The association between hand preference and language lateralization Bianca Stubbe-Dräger and Stefan Knecht; 5. The genetic basis of lateralization Marian Annett; 6. Language lateralization and handedness in twins; an argument against a genetic basis? Iris E. C. Sommer and René S. Kahn; 7. Sex differences in handedness and language lateralization Iris E. C. Sommer and René S. Kahn; Part II. Language Lateralization and Psychosis: 8. Hand-preference and population schizotypy Metten Somers, Iris E. C. Sommer and René S. Kahn; 9. Functional imaging studies on language lateralization in schizophrenia patients Annick Razafimandimby, Olivier Maïza and Sonia Dollfus; 10. The role of the right hemisphere for language in schizophrenia Alexander Rapp; 11. Auditory verbal hallucinations and language lateralization Kelly Diederen and Iris E. C. Sommer; 12. Language lateralization in patients with Formal Thought Disorder Carin Whitney and Tilo Kircher; 13. LRRTM1: a maternally suppressed genetic effect on handedness and schizophrenia Clyde Francks.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Michael Schrift, DO (University of Washington School of Medicine)
Description: This is an intriguing and interesting book on the issue of how cerebral laterality relates to psychosis. The authors review the laterality literature from a broad perspective and include chapters on the evolutionary, molecular, genetic, cognitive neuroscientific, phenomenological, and even the historical and geographic factors in laterality. Written and edited by authorities in the field of cerebral laterality, this is a welcome addition to the field.
Purpose: The purpose is to "illustrate the important fundamental aspects of cerebral lateralization and integrate this knowledge to explain how decreased language lateralization can facilitate psychotic symptoms in the human brain." It certainly is a fascinating theory.
Audience: The intended audience includes "psychiatrists, neurologists, and neuroscientists working in the field of psychosis and other brain scientists interested in laterality."
Features: The first section covers asymmetry, handedness, and language lateralization, and contains chapters on molecular mechanisms, animal lateralization, the history and geography of handedness, hand preference and language lateralization, the genetic basis of lateralization, twin studies, and sex differences. The second section deals specifically with psychosis with chapters on laterality in schizotypy, schizophrenia and brain imaging, the right hemisphere and schizophrenia, verbal auditory hallucinations as they relate to language lateralization, laterality and formal thought disorder, and a chapter on the leucine-rich repeat transmembrane neuronal 1 gene and its role in handedness and schizophrenia. Each chapter concludes with pertinent and timely references to the scientific literature.
Assessment: This is an excellent and absorbing new book on the importance of cerebral laterality to psychotic disorders. Anyone wanting to understand more about how psychosis and the functional organization of the brain interact should read this valuable book.

Doody's Review Service

"An intriguing and interesting book on the issue of how cerebral laterality relates to psychosis. The authors review the laterality literature from a broad perspective and include chapters on the evolutionary, molecular, genetic, cognitive neuroscientific, phenomenological, and even the historical and geographic factors in laterality. Written and edited by authorities in the field of cerebral laterality, this is a welcome addition to the field....This is an excellent and absorbing new book on the importance of cerebral laterality to psychotic disorders. Anyone wanting to understand more about how psychosis and the functional organization of the brain interact should read this valuable book."
—Doody's Review Service

From the Publisher