Wada test
From Psy3242
Overview
The Wada Test, officially referred to as the intracarotid sodium amobarbital procedure or ISAP, was established by Dr. Juhn E. Wada. It is used to determine localization, that is which functions are located in which part of the brain. The test consists of administering a drug, sodium amytal, to the internal carotid artery one hemisphere at a time, thereby inducing a temporary lesion lasting only a few minutes. Before injecting the drug, the patient is given tests measuring his or her abilities in speech, object naming, and memory. While one hemisphere is anesthetized, the neuropsychologist then tests the other hemisphere to evaluate how well it manages speech, naming, and memory.
Difference in Brain Organization between Right and Left-Handers?
The Wada Test put to rest the belief that the left hander’s brain was the mirror image of the right hander’s brain. Results from the test showed the pattern of lateralization found in most right-handers was the same in about 70% of left-handers. Of the 30% remaining, half showed the opposite pattern (known as reversed asymmetry) and the other half showed language and spatial skills distributed in both hemispheres (referred to as bi-lateral distribution).
