Split Brain Behavioral Experiment

710 Words3 Pages
The brain is one of our most fascinating organs. It has full control over our body movements, our senses, and the function of all other organs in the body. But it doesn’t stop there. The human brain has developed in a way that it can process the information from us and from the outside world in a very specific way to every particular human being, affecting how we think, feel, and perceive our surroundings. The communication takes place through electrical impulses and chemical reactions produced and received by specialized cells called neurons, which use axons to deliver these messages. However, the brain is not just a single piece. It has two hemispheres united by a thick group of axons called corpus callosum. We would think that it acts like any other organ, but the reality is that each hemisphere has specific abilities and functions. For example: the right hemisphere controls the left side of the body, and the right hemisphere controls the left side. I recently watched a video of Michael Gazzaniga, a professor of psychology, conducting split-brain research on one of his patients (Joe) who suffered from severe epilepsy. He decided to divide the corpus callosum in order to stop the electrical impulses between the two brain hemispheres in the hope of controlling Joe’s seizures. After the intervention, both brain hemispheres continued to function even though they were unable to communicate with each other as before, and the epilepsy was effectively controlled. I was surprised to learn that Joe commented that he didn’t notice any significant changes in his behavior or brain function. After the Joe’s recovery, Michael Gazzaniga started tests directed to a better understanding of how each hemisphere functions, and Joe participated in several of these experiments. In one of the experiments Joe had words flashed independently to each side of his brain via the eyes. The

More about Split Brain Behavioral Experiment

Open Document