Imaging Genetics of Human Brain Laterality

Most people have left-hemisphere dominance for language and hand motor control. In fact laterality is an important and general aspect of human brain organization which can be altered in cognitive and psychiatric disorders, yet its genetic and developmental bases remain poorly understood. This workshop will clarify the extents to which the following questions can already be answered by the field, and what steps will be required to make further progress:

• What are the core mechanisms that give rise to brain laterality?

• Which factors create variation in brain laterality?

• What does laterality tell us about the relationships between genes, brains, cognition and behaviour, for example with respect to language?

• To what degree are altered brain lateralities associated with cognitive performance or disorders?

• What is evolutionarily ancient and what is new about human brain laterality?

The participants use a variety of brain structural and functional measurement techniques and/or molecular genetics approaches, including functional transcranial doppler sonography, dichotic listening, magnetic resonance imaging (anatomical, functional, resting state), genome-wide association scanning, whole exome or genome sequencing, transcriptomics and model organisms.

> Detailed program <

 Invited participants :