Regional Brain Function in Sadness and Depression

Over the last 15, years there has been increased interest in the cerebral lateralization of emotion and emotion-related psychopathology (e.g., Davidson & Tomarken, 1989). Although numerous studies point to right-hemisphere specialization in the perception of emotional infonnation (see Silhennan & Weingarten, 1986), evidence suggests that the anterior regions of the right and left hemispheres play different roles with respect to the production of emotion. Following from Schneirla’s argument (1959) that approach and withdrawal underlie all motivated behaviours across phylogeny, Davidson and others (i.e., Davidson, 1984,