Reversed laterality of cerebral functions in a non-right-hander: neuropsychological and spect findings in a case of 'atypical' dominance

Neuropsychologia. 1992 Jan;30(1):81-9. doi: 10.1016/0028-3932(92)90016-f.

Abstract

A 54-year-old non-right-handed man with positive familial sinistrality showed a pure right hemisphere syndrome following a left hemisphere stroke. Severe right side hemineglect, transcortical motor dysprosodia, spatial dysgraphia and visuo-constructive impairments were observed. At no time were the expected left hemisphere abnormalities such as aphasia, alexia, right-left disorientation or finger agnosia noted. A left fronto-temporal subcortical lesion was documented on CT scan. A Tc-99m HM-PAO SPECT study revealed no cerebral blood flow changes in the right hemisphere while in the left hemisphere a fronto-temporo-parietal cerebral blood flow reduction was evident. This case of a complete reversed laterality of cognitive functions argues for a distinction to be made between 'anomalous' cerebral dominance and 'atypical' cerebral dominance.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Brain / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Brain / physiopathology
  • Cerebrovascular Circulation
  • Cerebrovascular Disorders / diagnosis
  • Cerebrovascular Disorders / physiopathology
  • Cerebrovascular Disorders / psychology
  • Cognition / physiology*
  • Dominance, Cerebral / physiology*
  • Functional Laterality / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed