The human brain evolved to have two halves, and this dual design brings us certain special benefits , new research by scientists at the Department of Biopsychology at the Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience at Ruhr University Bochum suggests.
We have known for a long time that different halves of the human brain perform different functions. For example, the left half – or left hemisphere – is generally responsible for language and speech, while the right hemisphere generally controls emotions and facial recognition.
One of the benefits of having two halves is that having a specific area of the brain that is responsible for performing a specific and complex task can make it easier for a person to perform this task correctly , according to the authors.
In addition, this specialization could make it easier for the brain to perform many different functions at the same time . In other words, if one part of the brain takes care of a specific function such as language and speech, another part is left free for something else, such as facial recognition; which, in turn, allows the brain to ‘juggle’ different functions in a very efficient way.
As if this were not enough, it seems that there are also benefits of this dual division for the development of cognitive skills, including verbal communication and reading skills.
Until the 1970s scientists believed that the asymmetric nature of the brain was unique to humans. Various experiments showed that such asymmetries could also be found in other animals, such as finches, rats or chickens. Recent studies showed that, in fact, we can find them even in invertebrates such as worms, slugs and bees.
Despite recent data, much more research is still needed to fully understand the complexities of brain asymmetry , the researchers said. Ultimately, studying this brain asymmetry could help researchers better understand how the brain is organized.
The article has been published in the journal Neuron.
