Split Brain…….What does this mean??
It is when the corpus callosum that connects the two hemispheres of the brain is divided to some degree and interrupts the spread of the seizure from one hemisphere to the other. Keep in mind that this procedure does not completely do away with the seizing, they will continue but only in the hemisphere it originated but will be less aggressive since they can no longer spread to the opposite side.
Roger Sperry and Ronald Meyers first discovered the split brain in the 1950s by experimenting with cats and then later in monkeys but it wasn't until 1961 that the first human underwent the the split brain surgery.
Who is a candidate??
Patients with severe and uncontrollable epileptic seizures or when the seizing is affecting both sides of the brain or especially the patients who because of the seizure suffer from sudden falls exposing them to serious injuries. Another candidate who would highly benefit from split brain surgery is the patient who has had little to no improvement while on anti-seizure medications.
Post Split Brain Surgery Effects
The surgery itself was an instant cure for the epileptic seizures, but shortly after they noticed that the patients who had had the commissurotomy had some peculiar difficulties in their daily activities. The patients were unable to process information from one hemisphere to the other, as though each hemisphere started to acted independently.
- Difficulties speaking
- Remembering things
- Finding words
- Decrease in awareness of one side of the body
- Loss of coordination
- Speech impediment, such as stuttering
Conclusion
What was concluded after much research by Roger Sperry was that the right and left hemispheres specialized in different duties. The left side is responsible for the analytical, verbal duties, and has better control of speech while the right side is responsible for the space perception.
Example: Right hemisphere contributes when making a map or giving directions on how to get from point "A" to point "B". The right hemisphere can only produce basic word and phrases, but is significant in the emotional context of language.
What was amazingly noted was that each hemisphere is still able to learn after the split brain surgery because the brain learns to use the smaller connections between the left and right hemisphere but one hemisphere unfortunately has no idea what the other hemisphere has experienced or learned.
I find split brain people to be, in a sense, two people in one body. I mean they can do a letter U in different directions, at the same time, with no problems. I wonder how they are when they multitasking? I would think they would get things done faster!
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how they are able to function after split-brain surgery. Each hemisphere is still able to learn but yet the other hemisphere has no idea what other has learned or experience! Good concept of seeing split-brain people like two different people in one body.
ReplyDeleteIt is very interesting how people with go under a split brain surgery can function normal. Their abilities remain the same, the only difference would be their capacity to do different things with each hand. Their hemispheres may not be connected but they still work together to process any information from their body.
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