The Cerebral Cortex

Your fists represent the cerebral cortex, the most complex area of your brain. Notice how it is divided into two equal half balls, or spheres, called hemispheres. The left hemisphere is dedicated to processing information logically in a step-by-step manner. For example, it helps you read, speak, and write language or compute an equation. The right hemisphere is responsible for more processing of spatial information, such as recognizing a friend's face, or appreciating a piece of artwork. Quite simply, your left hemisphere sees the "trees" (details), while your right hemisphere sees the "forest" (big picture).

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