Stroke to the right hemisphere of the brain – right hemisphere syndrome

• By Beata Klarowska, M.S. CCC-SLP
• Monday, July 25, 2011

Stroke to the right hemisphere of the brain – right hemisphere syndrome

Right hemisphere syndrome is caused by injury to the right hemisphere of the brain. The brain is divided into the right and left hemispheres, which are each responsible for different functions. The left hemisphere is primarily responsible for language; the right hemisphere is primarily responsible for non-verbal communication, processing of visual, spatial, and cognitive-communicative information.

Characteristics of Right Hemisphere Syndrome:

- Left visual neglect - an individual may neglect words on the left side of the page or not realize that there are objects on the left side
- Difficulty with facial recognition
- Poor awareness of deficits
- Poor self-monitoring
- Impulsive behavior
- Poor initiation and motivation
- Disorientation
- Impaired attention/memory
- Difficulty with organization and reasoning/problem - solving
- Difficulty with social aspects of language (e.g., poor turn taking skills, providing too much information)
- Difficulty understanding humor
- Difficulty with word retrieval
- Monotone and flat affect

Causes of right hemisphere syndrome:

- Strokes
- Hemorrhage
- Brain tumor
- Brain trauma

Useful resources:

- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- National Stroke Association
- American Stroke Association