split brain

Brain-half anatomy and function differ {lateralization, cerebral}. Brain halves integrate by cross connections.

split brain

After corpus-callosum surgery {callosotomy} {split brain}, patients feel the same as before, with one self and same consciousness [Akelaitis, 1941] [Akelaitis, 1944] [Bogen, 1986] [Bogen, 1993] [Bogen, 1997] [Bogen and Gazzaniga, 1965] [Bogen and Gordon, 1970] [Bogen et al., 1965] [Gazzaniga, 1995] [Gazzaniga, 2004] [Geschwind and Galaburda, 1987] [Gordon and Bogen, 1974] [Greenblatt, 1997] [Kinsbourne, 1982] [Kohler et al., 2000] [Luck et al., 1989] [Luck et al., 1994] [Mark, 1996] [Miller et al., 2000] [O'Shea and Corballis, 2001] [Pettigrew and Miller, 1998] [Schiffer, 2000] [Schmitt and Worden, 1974] [Sperry, 1961] [Sperry, 1974] [Wigan, 1844].

However, experiments that detect what hemispheres know show that split-brain patients can have two consciousnesses. Consciousness can be only or mainly in left side, be only reportable from left side, be always both sides, or automatically switch back and forth between two selves.

right brain

Right brain has minimal attention, consciousness, emotion, imagery, memory, perception, verbal ability, and will.

connections: corpus callosum

Corpus callosum carries high-level information, mostly excitation. People can have impaired corpus callosum from birth {callosal agenesis} and develop integrative and substitute processing.

connections: other

Information about existence and spatial and temporal locations can pass between brain halves through smaller interhemispheric pathways and by relay through brainstem and thalamus.

self

Self or mind integrates brain modules through corpus callosum, brainstem, thalamus, and other pathways, by inhibition and excitation.

interpreter

Patients with severed commissures have no information exchange, but hemisphere with language ability {the interpreter} invents explanations. Only that hemisphere is highly conscious [Gazzaniga, 1992].

drugs

Amobarbitol can anesthetize either hemisphere.

locations: arousal

Arousal mechanisms affect both hemispheres equally.

locations: attention

Attention from brainstem and midbrain goes to both hemispheres, each of which can try to control attention.

locations: hearing

Ear sound information mostly goes to other side.

locations: language

Broca's area semantic-and-syntactic language processing is typically only in left hemisphere. However, both sides have vocabulary and perception processing.

locations: pain

Pain information goes to both hemispheres.

locations: proprioception

Proprioception information goes to both hemispheres.

locations: space and time

Right hemisphere seems better at high-level spatiotemporal processing.

locations: touch

Touch information goes to both sides, though less to same side.

locations: vision

Visual information from right or left visual field goes to left or right hemisphere, but patients have unified visual fields.

locations: voluntary movement

Eye-saccade initiation and monitoring and voluntary large-muscle movement are on both sides.

factors: age

With age, corpus callosum has more myelination.

factors: gender

Men have more language lateralization.

Related Topics in Table of Contents

Biological Sciences>Medicine>Disease>Kinds>Organ>Nerve

Whole Section in One File

4-Medicine-Disease-Kinds-Organ-Nerve

Drawings

Drawings

Contents and Indexes of Topics, Names, and Works

Outline of Knowledge Database Home Page

Contents

Glossary

Topic Index

Name Index

Works Index

Searching

Search Form

Database Information, Disclaimer, Privacy Statement, and Rights

Description of Outline of Knowledge Database

Notation

Disclaimer

Copyright Not Claimed

Privacy Statement

References and Bibliography

Consciousness Bibliography

Technical Information

Date Modified: 2022.0224