Which side of the brain receives signals from and controls the muscles on the left side of the body?

The right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for receiving sensory signals from and controlling the muscles on the left side of the body. This phenomenon is a result of the brain's structural organization and the way neural pathways are designed. In most individuals, each hemisphere of the brain controls the opposite side of the body due to the crossing over of motor pathways at the brainstem level.

The right hemisphere is also involved in various functions, including spatial awareness and creativity, which are often associated with the non-dominant hemisphere in right-handed individuals. Understanding this lateralization of brain function is fundamental in the study of neuroanatomy and behavioral biology.