Attending to local form while ignoring global aspects depends on handedness: evidence from TMS.
Our perceptions of the whole and of the parts of a visual stimulus are mediated by different brain regions. We used low-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to show for the first time that opposite, homologous regions in the two hemispheres are involved in attending to local parts for left- and right-handed individuals. The brain regions that focus on the 'trees' while ignoring the 'forest' are switched as a function of handedness.
Mevorach
Carmel
C
Behavioural Brain Sciences Centre, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK. c.mevorach@bham.ac.uk
Humphreys
Glyn W
GW
Shalev
Lilach
L
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008280:Magnetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000528:radiation effects; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*