preferences in people
Scientists distinguish between the brain activities of right-handers and left-handers by noninvasively monitoring asymmetric brain responses to passive touch stimulations

Date:
September 14, 2020
Source:
DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology)
Summary:
Scientists show that it is possible to distinguish between
left-handed and right-handed people by noninvasively monitoring
just their brain activity during passive tactile stimulation. These
results are key in haptic research (the study of sensory systems)
and have various important implications for brain-computer
interfaces, augmented reality, and even artificial intelligence.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
Have you ever wondered whether the brains of right-handed people work differently from those of left-handers? Is it possible to distinguish
between them by observing their brain activity in response to stimuli or
tasks? These are important questions from the perspectives of both basic sciences and application-based fields such as brain-computer interfaces, rehabilitation robotics, and augmented reality.


========================================================================== Since the past few years, a team of scientists at Daegu Gyeongbuk
Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Korea, has been actively conducting fundamental research to answer these questions. Led by
Principal Scientist Dr Jinung An, their initial focus was on finding
a method to objectively evaluate haptic devices, which provide tactile
feedback simulating textures and surfaces, based on user responses at
the brain level.

In a previous study, they had found that the brains of right-handers
responded differently from those of left-handers when performing
complicated manipulation tasks. In short, when a right-hander uses
their preferred hand, specific areas within the left-brain hemisphere
are activated. In contrast, when they use their left hand, a much larger
area spanning both brain hemispheres is used.

Surprisingly, this asymmetry was significantly more pronounced in
right-handers than in left-handers.

In their latest study published in Scientific Reports, Dr An and his
colleagues show that this asymmetry in right-handers was also evident
during passive tactile stimulation of the fingers. They used a technique
called functional near-infrared spectroscopy to noninvasively monitor
changes in the oxygenation of red blood cells in the brain, which reflect
its local activation patterns.

Excited about the results, Dr An remarks, "We present the possibility
of distinguishing left-handed and right-handed people using passive
touch alone, which reveals functional cortical differences. Our outcomes
can be immediately used to quantitatively evaluate hand preference and
may also be useful for brain-computer interfaces that connect tactile
displays to brain signals in augmented reality." These findings are also relevant for developing cognitive enhancement treatments for autism and brain-mimicking artificial intelligence.

Additionally, this approach could be a turning point in haptics -- the
study of sensing through touch. "Although existing haptic research has
mainly focused on the peripheral nervous system, I hope that our study
will serve as the starting point for a paradigm shift involving central
nervous system-oriented research," concludes Dr An.

The outcomes of this study may truly have consequences left and right!

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by DGIST_(Daegu_Gyeongbuk_Institute_of_Science_and Technology). Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Sang Hyeon Jin, Seung Hyun Lee, Seung Tae Yang, Jinung
An. Hemispheric
asymmetry in hand preference of right-handers for passive
vibrotactile perception: an fNIRS study. Scientific Reports, 2020;
10 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70496-y ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200914095845.htm

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