lateralizationn.
/ˌlat(ə)rəlʌɪˈzeɪʃn/, /ˌlat(ə)rl̩ʌɪˈzeɪʃn/, U.S. /ˌlædərələˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/, /ˌlædərəˌlaɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/ 1. The action of lateralize v. 1; lateral movement or positioning.
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the world > life > the body > nervous system > cerebrospinal axis > brain > [noun] > laterality
lateralization1820
1820 Amer. Med. Recorder 3 18 We are now, having grasped the handle of our staff firmly with the left hand, and given its groove the proper angle of lateralization, to carry with it, the prostate and membranous part of the urethra towards the right ischium.
1839–47 Todd's Cycl. Anat. & Physiol. III. 562/2 The action of the scaleni..consists rather in maintaining steadiness and resisting lateralisation of the neck.
1854 Dublin Q. Jrnl. Med. Sci. 18 291 So admirably has the mechanical means employed fulfilled the indication of preventing any lateralization of the lower jaw, that the inferior incisors lie evenly beneath the upper.
1890 Physician & Surgeon 12 541 Cutting of the pudic artery by too great lateralization of the knife has not been mentioned.
1913 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 30 Aug. 536/2 One is impressed with the amount of movement, both rotation and lateralization, that has taken place between individual vertebræ.
1990 Geogr. Jrnl. 156 330/1 Apart from some small and exceptional ridges, due either to inliers of Tertiary limestones and volcanic rocks or to lateralization of alluvium in which differentiation is difficult.
2. The condition, property, or fact of being lateralized (lateralized adj. 2).
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1890 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 11 Oct. Suppl. 13/2 Dr. Loewenberg, of Paris, discusses..the influence of sex in what he calls the ‘lateralisation’ of ear disease.
1917 Therapeutic Gaz. 15 Apr. 234/1 Lateralization, however, may be determined by the factors which induce referred pains, such as unilateral inflammatory affection of viscera or other tissue.
1954 Brain 77 526 It is hardly possible to trace familial tendencies in the cerebral lateralization of language function.
1960 O. L. Zangwill Cerebral Dominance ii. 5 Conrad..regards left~handedness as in itself bound up with incomplete lateralization of higher cerebral function.
1973 Sci. Amer. Apr. 76/3 Although the relation between speech lateralization and hand preference is not perfect, the high incidence of both left-hemisphere control of speech and right-hand preference is probably not coincidental.
2002 Nature 3 Oct. p. xiii Lateralization of cerebral processes, once thought to be the preserve of humans, has been found in various vertebrates, including birds.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2015; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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