... would love to take part in a scientific brain experiment.

June 1, 2006 3:50 PM

So, how many subjects are there in a split brain? I know that at least one more mefi user is interested. To get some background information, play this little game from nobelprize.org. Personally, I think they (even though the layout is strange - for an edu site) have it right: [more inside]
posted by vertriebskonzept (7 comments total)

"This brings us to an interesting question, are the right and left hemispheres of a split brain patient of different consciousness? Sperry rejected this notion, and most scientists agreed with him. While split-brain patients could be manipulated into displaying two independent cognitive styles, the underlying opinions, memories, and emotions were the same. This could be explained anatomically. As discussed earlier, deeper structures of the brain that are critical to emotion and physiological regulation remained connected. Split brains, actually, are not really split into two but instead form a Y."


So they are not fully separate, but remain connected on an evolutionary older (emotional, etc.) level. Example: the right hemisphere sees something, which the left does not (two different subjects). But if the viewed thing is scary, the left side will also get afraid, and will not be able to tell you why!
posted by vertriebskonzept at 3:50 PM on June 1, 2006

Kinda makes sense they would form a Y, because they have to connect to the spinal column don't they?
posted by StickyCarpet at 4:31 PM on June 1, 2006

Only the telencephalon - the cerebral cortices - are split with callosotomy. The diencephalon, mesencephalon, metencephalon, and myelencephalon are not affected. This includes the thalamus, basal ganglia, cerebral peduncles, pons, cerebellum and medulla, long before you get to the spinal cord.

Also, it's so important to bear in mind: no human who's ever undergone a surgical callosotomy has had a normal brain. There was always something wrong with the brain in the first place, something so severe that it prompted the surgeon to operate.
posted by ikkyu2 at 7:58 PM on June 1, 2006

This would have been more interesting if Mr. Split Brainy had saluted every now and again as evidence of alien hand syndrome.
posted by missbossy at 8:04 PM on June 1, 2006

Example: the right hemisphere sees something, which the left does not (two different subjects). But if the viewed thing is scary, the left side will also get afraid, and will not be able to tell you why!

I wonder.. This description could apply to mother and child, or twins, or any two individuals that have a particularly close relationship. One individual picking up subconscious clues about the emotional state of the other..
posted by Chuckles at 8:17 AM on June 2, 2006

First game I've ever played that involved writing a grant proposal.
posted by eritain at 10:30 AM on June 2, 2006

I actually work for a company that creates adult-level training & education software, and I have to say that split brain game was incredibly crappy. Kind of surreally crappy. (I'm a professional, I have to get these comments in when something relevant to my job actually comes up! Heh.) :)

Good post, though. Split-brain consciousness is utterly bizarre.
posted by blacklite at 11:06 PM on June 2, 2006