Question

What is a split brain procedure and under what circumstances is it used? When a split brain patient is shown a KEY in the left visual field and a HAT in the right visual field, how will they respond when asked 1) what object they saw? 2) to draw with their left hand what object they saw? 3) to draw with their right hand what object they saw? What do split brain patients reveal about language in the brain?

Answer 1

In split-brain, the corpus callosum, the part that connects the left hemisphere to the right one is cut and hence the connection between the two, and as we know the left hemisphere is responsible for controlling the right side of the body and vice-versa so:

1) They will see both objects but the patients can not name the one in the left visual field, i.e. the KEY

2) They will draw the key as the left hand is controlled by the right side of the brain and the right side of the brain sees the object on the left visual field.

3) They will draw the hat because of the same logic.

split-brain patients revealed about language that the left hemisphere is responsible for language understanding and articulation but the right hemisphere could not articulate a word though it recognizes it.