Left-hemisphere injury before age 5-6 years is associated with language development in which hemisphere?

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Multiple Choice

Left-hemisphere injury before age 5-6 years is associated with language development in which hemisphere?

Explanation:
Language functions are typically left-dominant in most people, but the young brain is highly plastic. When injury to the left hemisphere occurs before about five to six years of age, developing language networks can reorganize and recruit the right hemisphere to support language. This early reorganization helps preserve or develop language skills even with left-sided damage, so language can become right-hemisphere–oriented in many children. The key idea is that the immature brain can redistribute language functions during a critical period, leading to right-hemisphere involvement in language after early left-hemisphere injury.

Language functions are typically left-dominant in most people, but the young brain is highly plastic. When injury to the left hemisphere occurs before about five to six years of age, developing language networks can reorganize and recruit the right hemisphere to support language. This early reorganization helps preserve or develop language skills even with left-sided damage, so language can become right-hemisphere–oriented in many children. The key idea is that the immature brain can redistribute language functions during a critical period, leading to right-hemisphere involvement in language after early left-hemisphere injury.

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