Auditory Cell Phone Use Linked to Brain Dominance

Have you ever noticed that right-handed people hold their mobile to their right ear and vice versa for left-handed people? A recent study conducted by medical professionals suggests that our auditory association area is linked to brain dominance. The research was carried out at the Henry Ford hospital in Detroit. The winner of the 2011 Baldrige Award, the health system is the only organisation in Michigan to receive the prestigious award for performance excellence.

Auditory processes lead to new scientific knowledge on brain function

Providing interesting new insights, the study explores the correlation between hearing and brain function. The discovery that left-thinkers use their right hand and ear for everyday tasks has led to further mapping of the language centre of the brain. Investigators have shown specific interest in the auditory findings of their research, commenting on the tendency of left-thinkers to use their right ear to listen to phone calls. Even though there is no difference in a person’s hearing in the left or right ear, our preference is to use the ear that matches our brain dominance.
Researchers also discovered that hearing impediments influence ear preference for cell-phone use. The finding may lead to new listening and communication technology. An offshoot of the study, the auditory process of becoming a better listener has been a focal point of medical professionals for quite some time now. The analysis didn’t shy away from the controversial topic of mobile phone health effects. Cell-phone users will be relieved to hear that the research found no link between phone use and brain, head and neck tumours. Scientists defended their findings saying that far more people would be diagnosed with tumours on the right side because they hold their cell-phone to the right side of their brain.
Are you right handed?
The survey was distributed amongst 5,000 participants and aimed to determine the correlation between sidedness of mobile use, auditory, and language hemisphere dominance. Out the respondents that took part, 90% were right handed, 9% were left handed and only 1% were ambidextrous.
Despite the simple nature of the discoveries made, medical investigators believe that the research will contribute to scientific knowledge of brain function and perhaps even lead to new inroads in auditory neuropathy and neuroscience. Scientists are currently quite excited about the study, which has only released preliminary findings. The final conclusions are soon to be published in a peer-reviewed journal.