The Differential Hemispheric Processing of Emotion: A Comparative Analysis in Strongly-Lateralized Sinistrals and Dextrals

The neural processing of emotion and the differential processing of affect and cognition are thus far poorly understood. Complex results across studies suggest involvement of the left hemisphere, the right hemisphere, or both. Since handedness is related to cerebral dominance, the present study undertook a comparative analysis of neural processing in strongly lateralized left- and right-handed populations. Parietal EEG and bilateral electrodermal activity were recorded while carefully selected subjects were exposed to emotional stimuli under cognitive, affective, and neutral conditions. Results showed greater lateral differentiation and differentially greater left-hemisphere activation in dextrals but greater overall activation in sinistrals. These findings are consistent with the common observation that cerebral organization is more diffuse in left-handed populations. It seems clear that the comparative study of sinistrals and dextrals can help us to better understand how emotion is processed in the brain.