Contralateral is a term used in medical and scientific fields to describe a body part or function that corresponds to the opposite side of the body. The spelling of contralateral is derived from the Latin "contra" meaning "against" and "lateral" meaning "side". The word can be phonetically transcribed as /ˌkɒntrəˈlætərəl/. The stress in the word is on the second syllable, with the "a" pronounced as a short "u" sound, and the last syllable pronounced with a schwa sound.
Contralateral is an adjective used to describe a relationship between two opposite sides of the body or of a bodily structure. It refers to something happening or being located on the opposite side of a particular anatomical reference point.
In medical and anatomical contexts, contralateral typically signifies the side of the body opposite to where a specific condition or reference point is observed or localized. It is a term frequently used by healthcare professionals to describe symptoms, injuries, or abnormalities that occur on the opposite side of the body from where a particular problem is located. For instance, if someone has a broken left arm, and they experience pain in their right arm due to overcompensation, the pain is considered contralateral to the injury.
Contralateral is also used in neuroscience to describe the relationship between the brain and the body. When referring to brain functions, it indicates that a specific function or region of the brain is connected to or controls the opposite side of the body. For example, the left side of the brain is contralateral to the right side of the body, and vice versa.
Overall, contralateral is a term that describes the symmetrical relationship between the sides of the body or brain, where one side is considered opposite or corresponding to the other.
Relating to the opposite side, as when pain is referred to the side opposite to that of the lesion.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "contralateral" is derived from Latin. It combines two elements: "contra" meaning "against" or "opposite", and "lateral" meaning "of or relating to the side". Therefore, "contralateral" literally means "opposite side" or "on the other side". It is commonly used in medical and anatomical contexts to refer to structures or symptoms located on the side opposite to a specific point or condition.