Right Hemisphere Brain Damage
[
en
Español
]
What is right hemisphere brain damage?
Right hemisphere brain damage is damage to the right side of
the brain. The brain is made up of two sides, or hemispheres.
Each hemisphere is responsible for different body functions and
skills. In most people, the left side of the brain contains the
person's language centers. The right side controls cognitive
functioning (thinking skills).
Damage to the right hemisphere of the brain leads to
cognitive-communication problems, such as impaired memory,
attention problems and poor reasoning. In many cases, the person
with right brain damage is not aware of the problems that he os
she is experiencing (
anosognosia
).
Return to Top
What are some signs or symptoms of right hemisphere brain
damage?
Cognitive-communication problems that can occur from right
hemisphere damage include difficulty with the following:
- attention
- left-side neglect
- memory
- organization
- orientation
- problem solving
- reasoning
- social communication (Pragmatics)
Attention:
difficulty concentrating on a task and paying attention for more
than a few minutes at a time. Doing more than one thing at a time
may be difficult or impossible.
Left-side neglect:
a form of attention deficit. Essentially, the individual no
longer acknowledges the left side of his/her body or space. These
individuals will not brush the left side of their hair, for
example, or eat food on the left side of their plate, as they do
not see them or look for them. Reading is also affected as the
individual does not read the words on the left side of the page,
starting only from the middle.
Memory:
problems remembering information, such as street names or
important dates, and learning new information easily.
Orientation:
difficulty recalling the date, time, or place. The individual may
also be disoriented to self, meaning that he/she cannot correctly
recall personal information, such as birth date, age, or family
names.
Organization:
trouble telling a story in order,giving directions, or
maintaining a topic during conversations.
Problem solving:
difficulty responding appropriately to common events, such as a
car breakdown or overflowing sink. Leaving the individual
unsupervised may be dangerous in such cases, as he or she could
cause injury to himself or herself, or others.
Reasoning:
difficulty interpreting abstract language, such as metaphors, or
responding to humor appropriately.
Social communication (pragmatics):
problems understanding nonverbal cues and following the rules of
communication (e.g., saying inappropriate things, not using
facial expressions, talking at the wrong time).
Return to Top
What treatment is available for individuals with right hemisphere
brain damage?
A person with right hemisphere brain damage should see a
speech-language pathologist (SLP), a professional trained to work
with people with communication disorders, in addition to his or
her doctor.
The SLP will work with the person and develop a treatment plan
designed to improve his or her cognitive-communication
abilities.
Return to Top
How can I communicate more effectively with a person with right
hemisphere brain damage?
- Ask questions and use reminders to keep the individual on
topic
- Avoid sarcasm, metaphors, etc., when speaking to the
individual
- Provide a consistent routine every day
- Break down instructions to small steps and repeat
directions as needed
- Decrease distractions when communicating
- Provide appropriate supervision to ensure the person's
safety
- Stand to the person's right side and place objects to
the person's right if he or she is experiencing left-side
neglect
- Use calendars, clocks, and notepads to remind the person of
important information
To contact a speech-language pathologist, visit
ASHA's Find a Professional.
Return to Top
See Also:
Right Hemisphere Brain Damage: Causes and
Number
Right Hemisphere Brain Damage: Benefits of
Speech-Language Patholgoy Services