An Hypothesis regarding the Commonality of Right-Hemisphere Involvement in Learning Disability, Attentional Disorder, and Childhood Major Depressive Disorder

Abstract

Learning disability, attentional disorder, and childhood major depression are frequent clinical diagnoses for children who show behavioral disturbances and impaired school performance. We suggest that all three of these conditions may be associated with dysfunction of the right cerebral hemisphere. Anatomical disturbance of right-hemisphere function is often associated with learning disability or attentional deficits. The physiological disturbance of right-hemisphere function by a major depressive episode may produce or exacerbate learning disability or attentional disorder.