Andrew underwent a Wada test prior to brain surgery.When his right hemisphere was anesthetized,he was unable to speak.How would Andrew's physicians most likely interpret this result?
A)They must have made a mistake, because language functions are supposed to be managed by the left hemisphere.
B)Andrew must have had a hemispherectomy for Rasmussen's syndrome many years ago.
C)Andrew is one of a minority of people whose language is managed by the right hemisphere.
D)Andrew must be bilingual. It is likely that he will still be able to speak in his other language.

Question

Andrew underwent a Wada test prior to brain surgery.When his right hemisphere was anesthetized,he was unable to speak.How would Andrew's physicians most likely interpret this result? 
A)They must have made a mistake, because language functions are supposed to be managed by the left hemisphere. 
B)Andrew must have had a hemispherectomy for Rasmussen's syndrome many years ago. 
C)Andrew is one of a minority of people whose language is managed by the right hemisphere. 
D)Andrew must be bilingual. It is likely that he will still be able to speak in his other language.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

While it is true that language functions are typically managed by the left hemisphere, there is a minority of individuals (approximately 5-10%) whose language is managed by the right hemisphere. This phenomenon is known as bilateral language representation. Therefore, if Andrew was unable to speak when his right hemisphere was anesthetized, it suggests that his language functions are managed by the right hemisphere.

Andrew Underwent a Wada Test Prior to Brain Surgery