Chapter Two Topic: After reading about the right hemisphere of the brain and the

Question

Chapter Two Topic: After reading about the right hemisphere of the brain and the left hemisphere of the brain, Carl announces that it makes no sense to wear a helmet while he is skateboarding, because we al have an "extra" brain to spare. He announces, "I am ok as long as I have my left brain, since that's the one that does all the talking!" Explain to Carl what life might be like without his right hemisphere, if he damages it severely. Assume that Carl is close to your age. Chapter Three Topic: Casey loves to go hiking and rock climbing with her friends. On one excursion, she notices that although she can tell when someone is calling to her from the right or the left on the road on level ground, she is not always sure of the direction if a friend is calling to her from just above her or just below her while rock climbing. Should Casey be worried about this? Why or why not?

Explanation / Answer

It’s erroneous for Carl to think that the hemispheric division means that the brain has a backup system in case of damage to one of the hemispheres. While the Left hemisphere carries the major lobes or areas for cognitive thinking and decision making, one needs to understand that the right hemisphere is equally important. Carl must consider that without the adequately functioning right hemisphere, he would not be able to perform any motor responses, do eye hand coordination in tasks such as readings and writing. Moreover, it is the right hemisphere which is involved in speech production as the Wernickes area are located in the right hemisphere. Furthermore, if skateboarding is a significant activity for him, then he must realise that his own ability to balance and maintain control of limbs on the skateboard is made possible by the involvement of the right hemisphere and it is therefore something that Carl should not assume as a non- effective part of the brain.

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