Cerebral Lateralization in Nonhuman Species

Cerebral Lateralization in Nonhuman Species explores brain asymmetries in animals and the extent to which such asymmetries relate, in an evolutionary and clinical sense, to the pervasive asymmetries that characterize the human brain. Topics covered include cerebral lateralization in birds, rats, and nonhuman primates; the inheritance of direction and degree of asymmetry in the brain; the morphology of rat forebrain; and variation in the pattern of behavioral and brain asymmetries due to sex differences.
Comprised of 11 chapters, this book opens with a historical overview of research into the cerebral lateralization of structures and functions in nonhuman species. The discussion then turns to lateralization of vocal control in songbirds and lateralization of several behaviors in domestic chicks. The inheritance of direction and degree of asymmetry is also considered, along with the morphology of rat forebrains. The following chapters focus on asymmetries in anatomy and pathology in the rodent brain; the link between brain lateralization and behavioral functions; and how early experiences can induce laterality. The final chapter analyzes the implications of brain asymmetries for evolution, genetics, and clinical syndromes.
This monograph will be a useful resource for students, neuroscientists, clinicians, and other practitioners in fields ranging from psychobiology and psychology to anatomical sciences, neurobiology, neurochemistry, and genetics.

Contenu

Contributors
Preface

1. Cerebral Lateralization: Historical Note on Animal Studies
   I. Introduction
   II. Asymmetries in Nonhuman Species
   III. Concluding Remarks
   References
2. Cerebral Lateralization in Birds
   I. Introduction
   II. Asymmetric Control of Vocalizations in Passerine Birds
   III. Asymmetries in Neural Development in Domestic Chicks
   IV. Summary and Conclusions
   References
3. On the Inheritance of Direction and Degree of Asymmetry
   I. Introduction
   II. Studies of Handedness in Inbred Mice
   III. Selection for the Degree of Lateralization
   IV. Associated Characters
   V. On Animal Models, Genetics, and Asymmetry Gradients
   VI. Extrapolations and Speculations
   References
4. Rat Forebrain Morphology: Right-Left; Male-Female; Young-Old; Enriched-Impoverished
   I. Introduction
   II. Cerebral Cortical Thickness
   III. Hippocampal Thickness
   IV. Amygdaloid Nucleus Area
   V. Corpus Striatum Area
   VI. Summary
   References
5. Asymmetries in Anatomy and Pathology in the Rodent Brain
   I. Introduction
   II. Neuroanatomical Asymmetry
   III. Volume Asymmetries in the Rat Brain
   IV. Relationship between Anatomical and Functional Asymmetry
   V. Developmental Pathology of Asymmetry
   References
6. Hemispheric Laterality, Behavioral Asymmetry, and the Effects of Early Experience in Rats
   I. Introduction
   II. Lateralization of Affective Behavior
   III. Lateralization of Spatial Processes
   IV. Lateralization of Postural Asymmetry
   V. Interhemispheric Coupling
   VI. Central Mechanisms
   VII. Summary
   References
7. Lateralized Behavioral and Neurochemical Consequences of Unilateral Brain Injury in Rats
   I. Background
   II. Behavioral and Neurochemical Asymmetry Induced by Cerebral Infarction
   III. Effect of Lesion Etiology on Behavior and Neurochemistry
   IV. Effect of Lesion Location on Behavioral and Neurochemical Asymmetries
   V. Role of Catecholaminergic Neurons in Behavioral Asymmetry
   VI. Role of Noncatecholaminergic Neurons in Behavioral Asymmetry
   VII. Conclusions and Possible Mechanisms of Lateralized Spontaneous Hyperactivity
   References
8. Functional and Neurochemical Mechanisms of Cerebral Lateralization in Rats
   I. Introduction: Sidedness and Circling
   II. Dopaminergic Asymmetry and Striatal Function
   III. Multiple Asymmetries and Multiple Functions
   IV. Prenatal Determinants of Left-Right Bias
   V. Lateralization of Reward Mechanisms
   VI. Similar Asymmetries in Different Species: Rat and Human Brains Compared
   References
9. Variation in the Pattern of Behavioral and Brain Asymmetries Due to Sex Differences
   I. Introduction
   II. Sex Differences in Behavioral and Brain Asymmetries in Nonhuman Mammals
   III. Conclusions
   References
10. Asymmetries of the Brains and Skulls of Nonhuman Primates
    I. Asymmetries of the Frontal Lobes
    II. Sulci
    III. Asymmetries of the Tempoparietal Regions
    IV. Superior Temporal Gyms
    V. Height of the End of the Sylvian Fissure
    VI. Superior Temporal Sulcus (STS)
    VII. Asymmetries in the Shape of the Brain
    VIII. Venous Asymmetries
    IX. Summary
    References
11. Implications for Evolution, Genetics, and Clinical Syndromes
    I. Implications of Asymmetries in Nonhuman Species
    II. Dominance in Historical Perspective
    III. The Emergence of a Biological Approach to Dominance
    IV. Implications for Human Clinical Syndromes
    V. Implications of Pharmacological Asymmetry
    VI. Implications for Genetics
    VII. Implications for Handedness
    VIII. Some Further Implications
    IX. Biological Associations of Laterality
    X. Implications for "Exclusively Human" Functions
    XI. Final Comment
    References
    Index