The brain controls the vital processes of the body, gross and fine motor skills, cognitive functions - orientation in space, mental activity, and the ability to learn. The brain coordinates the work of internal organs, muscles, endocrine glands, systems: breathing, blood circulation, digestion. To get an idea of the influence of specific brain centers on the functioning of the body, it is important to understand what the lobes, sections, and areas of the brain are responsible for, including the left hemisphere.
Functions of the left hemisphere
The brain is divided into two parts by a fissure. The hemispheres are covered with a layer of gray matter - the cerebral cortex. They consist of departments that are responsible for performing narrow tasks. In the left hemisphere there are the occipital, parietal, temporal, and frontal lobes, which completely repeats the structural division of the brain on the right side.
The two hemispheres are endowed with similar and radically different functions. The left hemisphere in women and men is responsible for thought processes, which determines the important role of this part of the brain in the general hierarchy of mental regulation processes.
The quality of work of the left hemisphere determines the physical activity of the right half of the body, reading, writing and speech skills, the ability for logical thinking and solving mathematical problems. When a person raises his right hand, the signal to reproduce the action comes from the left side of the brain. The main functions of the left hemisphere of the brain:
- Logical, analytical, abstract thinking. Analysis of current events and accomplished facts.
- Pragmatism, rationalism. Ability to plan for future situations.
- Semantic perception of speech information. Understanding the literal meaning of words and expressions.
- Speech reproduction.
- Ability to write, read, count. The left hemisphere of the brain in adults and children is responsible for identifying mathematical numbers and letter symbols.
- Self-awareness.
- Positive emotions, feeling of happiness.
Data processing is carried out in stages. The occipital lobe on the left side perceives, processes and stores sign and code systems - letters, numbers, road signs. The temporal lobe on the left side of the head differentiates the sounds of native and foreign languages and stores words and phrases in memory. The parietal lobe is responsible for articulatory skills.
The pronunciation of different sounds is accompanied by a certain position of the tongue, lips, and cheeks. The moving elements of the maxillofacial apparatus move relative to the palate, larynx, and teeth. As a result, different sounds are formed that make up words and speech. The parietal lobe of the left hemisphere is the part of the brain that performs mathematical operations.
The frontal lobe on the left side of the head regulates speech function - it selects words and determines the order of their combination within a sentence to convey the necessary semantic information. The frontal lobe predicts the result of any action, coordinates the work of all parts of the brain that are involved in the process of perceiving, processing and storing information coming from the surrounding space.
Why is a lion better than others?
One of the possible options is called Aesop's fable, dedicated to the division of spoils between animals. In the original, the leading role was given directly to the lion, the cunning fox and the hardworking donkey. Subsequently, the plot was repeated several times by the author:
- Tredyakovsky;
- Sumarokova;
- Chemnitz;
- Krylova;
- Lafontenta;
- Phaedra.
Certain circumstances of the hunt were preserved, the division of a certain treasure, land, food, as well as the main character - the king of animals. In its original form it was impossible to say whether it was a lot or a little - “the lion’s share”, since the phraseological unit was as close as possible to the concept of “all” and equaled 100%. One hero found himself in prosperity, while others faced hard work and hardships.
Consequences of malfunctions in the left half of the brain
If pathological changes occur in the left hemisphere, the brain centers do not work correctly. As a result, a person partially or completely loses abilities that are regulated by the left-sided parts of the brain. Violations are manifested by symptoms:
- Loss of speech skills.
- Deterioration of mental activity and cognitive abilities.
- Biased assessment of external information, inability to draw logical conclusions.
- Distortion of the function of self-awareness. The person does not feel motor and speech disorders and does not strive for recovery.
With severe lesions of the brain tissue on the left side of the head, right-sided paresis, paralysis and deterioration of sensorimotor skills develop - complexes of movements mastered to a state of automatism.
Anatomy
Anterior to the central sulcus (lat. sulcus centralis), the precentral sulcus (lat. sulcus precentralis) runs parallel; the gyri limit the vertically located precentral gyrus (lat. gyrus precentralis). From the precentral sulcus the superior and inferior frontal sulci run longitudinally, between which the superior, middle and inferior frontal gyri are located. The lower lateral groove protrudes into the inferior frontal gyrus, dividing it into three parts: opercular (lat. pars opercularis), triangular (lat. pars triangularis), orbital (lat. pars orbitalis)[1].
How to develop the left hemisphere of the brain
Many people dream of improving and developing abilities that are regulated by the left hemisphere of the brain, understanding how such self-improvement will affect their quality of life and personal achievements. People whose left-sided areas work intensively, without failures, find it easier to learn foreign languages. They are comfortable with research in the field of medicine and exact sciences, analytical work, writing reviews, and scientific forecasting.
To develop the left hemisphere in childhood, doctors recommend training fine motor skills. Children are given small objects from which they need to assemble a structure, puzzles for laying out chains, images, puzzles. Kids are encouraged to draw, draw signs with a pencil, sculpt from plasticine, and engage in weaving.
Thanks to such exercises, the brain structures in the left half of the head develop. The principle and approach to the problem of how to develop the brain in the left hemisphere of a child or an adult is identical. Doctors advise putting more strain on the brain structures, increasing the amount of work that the brain centers located on the left are focused on. A few exercises to train your brain:
- Mirror drawing. Take a sheet of paper and two pencils, draw identical numbers, letters, symbols, signs on the sheet with both hands at the same time.
- Rings. Close the tip of the thumb alternately with the tips of all other fingers to form a closed ring. The exercise is done quickly, first with one right hand, then with both hands together.
- Finger signs. With the right hand, show the “Victoria” (“V”) sign, raising the straight index and middle fingers up, clenching the rest into a fist. With the left hand, show the “OK” sign, closing the tips of the index and thumb, raising the remaining fingers straight up. Perform quickly, change hands.
Exercises train attention, memory, and the ability to quickly switch to performing diverse tasks. Coordination of movements and fine motor skills are honed, and the corresponding parts of the brain develop.
Math problems
To force the left hemisphere to work intensively, doctors recommend doing the same as muscle training - increasing the load on this part of the brain. He is responsible for mental activity, calculation skills, and mathematical operations with numbers. Mathematical and logical problems will help improve the activity of the brain centers on the left. Several tasks:
- Quickly add the sum of all integers from 1 to 100 without using a calculator. Answer: Within the range from 1 to 100, there are only 49 pairs of numbers that add up to 100 (1 and 99, 2 and 98, 3 and 97, etc.). To quickly calculate the required amount, you need to multiply 49 by 100 and add two numbers without a pair - 50 and 100. You get 5050.
- A father and two sons need to cross the river. The raft can accommodate either two sons or one father at a time. How can all three of us get across? Answer: First, both sons move to the opposite shore, then one returns to his father, the other remains on the pier. The father crosses the river and finds himself on the opposite bank. The son, who remained on the pier, returns for his brother. They both overcome the water obstacle.
- A 5-liter jar is filled with juice. How to pour exactly 1 liter from a 5-liter jar using two empty jars of 2 and 3 liters. Answer: They pour 3 liters from a 5-liter jar into a three-liter jar, then pour a 2-liter jar from a 3-liter jar to the top. There is 1 liter left in a 3 liter jar. The juice from the 2-liter jar is poured back into the 5-liter jar, where exactly 4 liters are obtained.
Crosswords
To activate your own mental abilities, experts advise solving crosswords, scanwords, fillwords, Sudoku and other forms of mental games with numbers and words.
What has changed over the centuries?
It is important to note that the semantic load has changed. In parallel, there is an expression Leonīna societas, also known as “Lion Commonwealth” based on the same work by Aesop. Behind it lies a type of relationship where one party to the agreement receives only profits, while the other is forced to personally pay for all losses. Absolute injustice, lack of even a hint of equality. But it is impossible to leave the agreement, since the “comrade” extracted such conditions by the right of the strong.
Over time, in the phrase under study, the emphasis shifted from the position of “taking everything to the detriment of others” to the position of “getting the best or most of it.” If initially there was a strictly negative connotation, the modern version can be used in almost any situation. Now the lion's share is a fair number of different indicators:
- treasures, income, shares - in the classical interpretation;
- suffering, labor, love - in an updated version.
Thus, the speaker, using phraseological units, can state that half of the family budget is spent on raising children. Or to indicate the psychological, mental state of the mother if some kind of trouble happens to the child, because it is the parents who bear the main emotional burden in a crisis situation.
Temporal
They are responsible for hearing, turning sounds into images. They provide speech perception and communication in general. The dominant temporal lobe of the brain allows you to fill the words you hear with meaning and select the necessary lexemes in order to express your thoughts. The non-dominant helps to recognize intonation and determine the expression of a human face.
The anterior and middle temporal regions are responsible for the sense of smell. If it is lost in old age, it may signal incipient Alzheimer's disease.
The hippocampus is responsible for long-term memory. It is he who stores all our memories.
If both temporal lobes are affected, a person cannot assimilate visual images, becomes serene, and his sexuality goes through the roof.
Indications for MRI of the occipital part of the head
It is impossible to describe standardized indications for magnetic resonance imaging. Survey capabilities are constantly being improved. Innovative technologies of high-power (high-field) devices increase the resolution limits of the method to 0.3 mm. The stronger the magnetic field, the higher the price of tomography.
Common indications for MRI of head and neck vessels:
- Pain when turning the head;
- Periodic loss of consciousness;
- Numbness in the back of the head;
- Lymph node pain;
- Pathology of the thyroid gland;
- Fast fatiguability;
- Blood pressure disorders;
- Diseases of the esophagus, laryngopharynx;
- Exclusion of head tumors;
- Tingling of the upper limbs.
MRI is prescribed when one or more signs are detected. Self-determination of symptoms is a reason to consult a doctor. Experts do not always prescribe magnetic resonance imaging. Sometimes other diagnostic methods will allow a more rational diagnosis of the pathology. A comprehensive scan is prescribed to determine changes in the vascular trunk and nerve fibers of important centers.
Visualization of the soft tissue component helps to identify blood clots, atherosclerotic plaques inside the arteries, and pathology of the blood supply. Numerous sections determine the location of fat accumulations, blood clots, and soft tissue formations. Under anesthesia, it is better to do an MRI of the head in children after ruling out an allergy to contrast.
Numerous malformations of the arterial network of the head and neck are better verified by contrast. The procedure involves intravenous administration of gadolinium salts. The compound is paramagnetic, enhancing the visibility of the walls of arteries and veins. Scanning along the distribution of contrast evaluates the speed of blood movement, diagnoses pathological passages and hemorrhages.
The information obtained is necessary to determine treatment tactics and plan surgical intervention.
What is a share and where does it come from?
“Such a lot”, “befell the lot”, “hard lot” - all these are expressions familiar to the ears of a Russian person. What is a share and how this concept is connected with the culture of the Eastern Slavs - read in our new material.
Accept to the end
The word “share” serves to denote fate, along with words such as “fate” and “destiny” (from the verb “to divide”). Already these words together tell us that the Eastern Slavs understood fate as a certain part of the common good, like a piece of a whole pie allocated from above. But not everyone gets the same slices. Some with a burnt barrel, some with a dry edge, and some with the tastiest from the middle. In previous articles devoted to mermaids and Eastern Slavic ideas about the afterlife, we discussed the topic of “wrong” death in some detail. This is due to the belief of the Eastern Slavs that no matter what share a person gets, he should not try to evade it and must accept it to the end.
Personification
The personification of fate in the form of the mythological image of Doli is characteristic to a greater extent for Ukrainians and to a lesser extent for Belarusians. They said about Share that it is born with a person or is given by God or the mother, giving the baby a name (“what do you call a boat...”). The share, without leaving a person, determines his happiness, degree of well-being and profession (craft, occupation). They also said that Share is the soul of a deceased ancestor, which can bring both good and evil to living descendants. Often there was an understanding of Dolya as an unfailingly happy fate, while the personified unhappy fate bore the name of Sinister, Trouble, Nedolya.
The appearance of Doli (or Nedoli) depends on whose destiny she is the personification of. For a worker, Dolya has the appearance of a mare, an ox, for a merchant - a beautiful girl, for an unhappy person she is dressed in cast-offs, and for a happy person - in beautiful, good-quality clothes. They also said that Doli’s appearance depends on changes in life. Thus, Dolya appeared to one peasant woman as a bear, although she had always been a woman. Soon, that peasant woman’s father died.
If Share is lazy, does not like to work and help her person, then he will be in poverty. Such a person can correct the situation by finding his lazy share and beating her so that it is discouraging. But much more interesting is another idea of poverty: a person’s occupation of something other than his own, not knowing where his Share is. Then the recipe is different. This person needs to go in search of his Share and, having found it, ask about his calling. If you follow Doli's advice, then happiness will come. However, some beliefs say that the Share can be seen only twice in life: right after birth and right before death.
Another belief connects a person’s misfortunes with the unfortunate Share, that is, Nedolya. Moreover, then nothing works out in a person’s life: no matter how much effort he makes, children will still constantly get sick, livestock will die, and the harvest will be meager. Ukrainian beliefs say that Nedolya looks like a naked man, or a decrepit old man, or a girl with the face of an old woman, or a cripple, or a naked cat, or a dead dog, etc. Nedolya will enter the owner’s house without asking, and behave like showing in every way how unhappy she is.
It’s difficult to get rid of Nedolya, but it’s possible. People said that to do this you need to trick her into a bag, tie it and throw it into the swamp.
