Sex and the single hemisphere: specialization of the right hemisphere for spatial processing.
Specialization of the right hemisphere for spatial processing was studied in 200 normal boys and girls between 6 and 13 years of age. Boys performed in a manner consistent with right hemisphere specialization as early as the age of 6. Girls showed evidence of bilateral representation until the age of 13. The results suggest a sexual dimorphism in the neural organization underlying cognition during a major period of childhood. The results, which have implications for reading instruction, are discussed in terms of a possible sex difference in neural plasticity during development and the clinical consequences of such a difference.
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005556:Form Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D012723:Sex; D014110:Touch