Split Brain
Our brain weighs about three pounds and is divided into two similar looking, but different hemispheres, the right and the left. Both are connected to a large bundle of nerves, called corpus collosom. In some people with sever seizer disorders such as epilepsy, it was found that if this bundle of nerves were severed their seizers would stop or at least be under better control. From this surgical procedure, it was discovered that the two hemispheres had different methods of processing information, as well as controlling parts of the body. The left controls the right and the right controls the left. We rely on both hemispheres to process different information; we tend to naturally have one hemisphere that is more dominate than the other. While the brain is an organ that can be seen and held the mind is quite another matter. The mind remains unseen and physically immeasurable, yet appears to be part of us that controls everything. Roger Sperry pioneered this surgical procedure called commissurotomy. The commissurtomy surgically separates the hemispheres, making the transfer of in
It was once thought that if the neurons were destroyed, that they are gone forever and will not be replaced. But in the case of Brandi Binder, a 13-year-old little girl, the neurons sprouted new dendrites and reestablished connections with other neurons to restore some of the functions that were lost. Although she has some disabilities due to the operation, the reaming part of her brain functions well enough for her to read, write, and lead a normal active life and with more and more stimulation she will be able to continue to grow and function normally. Boston: Allyn and Bacon 2002Hellige, J. (1987)."Interhemispheric Interaction: Models, Paradigms, and Recent Findings" In Duality and Unity of the Brain: Unified Functioning and Specialization of the Hemispheres. Macmillan Press Ltd, London. " (Reported in 'Epilepsy & the Corpus Callosum' 1985) Wood, Samuale.and Wood, Ellen R Green The World of psychology. formation between them impossible. The patient is then left with two independently functioning hemispheres. Researchers found that when the brain was surgically separated, each hemis
Some common words found in the essay are:
Roger Sperry, Split Brain, Joseph Hellige, Brandi Binder, Mark Rayport, Corpus Callosum', Allyn Bacon, Green World, London Reported, 'epilepsy corpus callosum', callosum' 1985, corpus callosum' 1985, corpus callosum', surgical procedure, processing information, process information, words flashed, hampton-turner 1981, field vision, left hand, bundle nerves,
Approximate Word count = 742
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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