MYTH:
Strokes on the left side of the brain that cause aphasia are more common than strokes on the right side of the brain.
FACT:
Strokes are almost equally as common on the left and right side of the brain. However, small strokes that cause mild symptoms are noticed sooner if they are on the left side of the brain. While it isn’t exactly clear why, it is probably because aphasia, a language disorder caused by damage to the left side of the brain, is typically very noticeable, and people who suddenly have difficulty talking or understanding others realize quickly that something is wrong – and so do their close family/friends. These people are more likely to get to the emergency department quickly. (For more information about aphasia, visit the American Speech-Language-hearing Association or the National Aphasia Association.)
MYTH:
Recovery from stroke primarily occurs in the first 3 months and is complete 6-12 months after the stroke.
FACT:
Recovery often appears to be most rapid during the weeks and months immediately following a stroke. But recovery can occur even years after a stroke. The brain, even after being damaged by a stroke, never stops learning and changing. Improvements in cognition and communication can continue to occur for the rest of one’s lifetime after a stroke. To harness the amazing ability of the brain to heal itself, a person must continue to work on the skills and abilities they desire to improve. This can be done independently but can be helped along by working with a speech-language pathologist (SLP) or other therapist who can help design a program of activities to address the target skills.
MYTH:
Left hemisphere strokes cause problems with language (aphasia) but not cognition, and right hemisphere strokes cause problems with cognition but not language.
FACT:
The most obvious deficit after a left hemisphere stroke is often aphasia, a language problem that affects both understanding what others say and being able to find the words to express what you want to say. People with aphasia also may have problems with memory and attention. After a right hemisphere stroke, difficulty with memory, problem solving, and attention may be most noticeable, and may be assessed by SLPs, doctors, and other rehabilitation professionals. Basic language - finding the right words and understanding words and sentences - is usually OK. But interpreting what someone means, especially if it is different from what they say (think about humor, sarcasm, idioms), can be affected. Interpreting someone’s emotion based on their prosody or tone of voice, can also be affected. These are all components of apragmatism and directly impact the ability to communicate effectively and efficiently.
MYTH:
People with right hemisphere damage are rude, uncaring, and egocentric.
FACT:
Some people with right hemisphere damage can come across as focusing only on themselves and have some behaviors that appear to be rude. These are generally not intentional behaviors. Damage to the Theory of Mind network and the emotional network cause problems with recognizing or interpreting other people’s thoughts, ideas, and feelings. They may not recognize a sad tone of voice or an angry facial expression, and so they do not change their behavior in response to those cues. They may not be able to consider another person’s thoughts or ideas, and so focus only on their own.
MYTH:
The right hemisphere is the ‘creative’ brain and the left hemisphere is the ‘logical brain’.
FACT:
The 2 sides of the brain do have different strengths. The right side is better at emotion, visual & spatial tasks, and getting the ‘big picture’. The left side is better at basic language (words & sentences) and sequencing. But they interact constantly, so everything we do is a result of the 2 sides of the brain working together.
The ‘creative brain’ idea likely came from the fact that artists and musicians are more often left-handed than the general population. Since the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, it was concluded that the creative, artistry was controlled by the right side of the brain. Some aspects of artistry and music do rely on seeing the ‘big picture’ and require visuospatial skills, but other aspects are very logical (e.g., music is mathematical) and sequential, which is more like the strengths of the left hemisphere.
MYTH:
You are “lucky” if you have a stroke on the right side of the brain because you will have little or no noticeable symptoms, while strokes on the left side often cause aphasia, which has devastating effects on language and communication.
FACT:
As described on other pages on this website, strokes on the right side of the brain affect thinking (cognition) and communication in many different ways. These problems, including apragmatism, can affect personal relationships and the ability to return to work or to secure new employment. Aphasia is a serious condition that also affects communication, relationships, and the ability to work. While it is more recognized in the medical field, it should not be considered as more serious or more detrimental than apragmatism or other right hemisphere disorders. (For more information about aphasia, visit the American Speech-Language-hearing Association or the National Aphasia Association.)
MYTH:
Rehabilitation after a right hemisphere stroke only requires physical & occupational therapy because speech usually isn’t affected.
FACT:
Every person with a right hemisphere stroke should be evaluated by a speech-language pathologist (SLP). SLPs can evaluate communication beyond just speech or finding the right words. They can help identify problems with understanding emotional prosody (tone of voice), altering what you say based on who you’re talking to or what you want to achieve, and understanding what someone means compared to what they actually say (pragmatics). After a right hemisphere stroke, many people do not appear to have difficulty talking, but family and close friends often notice that they are not the same as they were before. SLPs are the best people to help identify what has changed and how to approach rehabilitation. In addition, SLPs can help identify and work with people on any cognitive changes that may have resulted from their right hemisphere stroke. So, SLPs are an important member of the rehabilitation team for many people with right hemisphere strokes!
MYTH:
People with unilateral neglect “ignore” things on the left side.
FACT:
“Ignoring things” is a common way to describe neglect, but it isn’t quite correct. If you ignore something, that means you know it is there and you’re choosing not to give it any attention. With neglect, the attentional system is not working. So someone with neglect isn’t aware of those things to one side. The part of the brain that tells them to pay attention is not working correctly.
