split brain reasearch; plasticity and functional recovery of the brian after trauma

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Split Brain Research:

  • the brain is split by cutting the corpus callosum to treat epilepsy as opposed to using drugs (this is only used when the epilepsy is drug resistent)
  • reduces the damages caused by seizures as they are restricted to one hemisphere - also reduces the number of seizures
  • research on patients can provide valuable information about the role of each hemisphere
  • Research by Sperry ad Gazzaniga shows that the left hemisphere controls: analytical and logical thought; verbal and math skills; linear processing. The right hemisphere controls synthetic thinking; spatial / artistic skills and holistic thinking
  • the left hemisphere dominates the right soon after surgery
  • some patients find that their hemispheres co-operate - for example the patient is shown a colour, the left cannot articulate the name so guesses. The right side knows the colour but is mute, if the left side guesses wrong the right side articulates through prompting a frown or head shake
  • Sperry case study of JW involved tactile tests - JW closed his eyes and Sperry placed an item from the desk in his hand, telling him to identify it. the left side has no idea but has the capacity to think and guesses realistically.
  • defence mechanisms are used to explain away wrong answers to reduce anxiety
  • evolution theory argues that the left hemisphere has developped to be more intelligent
  • epilepsy = inbalance of excitatory and inhibitionary neurotransmitters
  • studying split brains allows for the study of the hemispheres seperately, indicating exactly what functions are present in which hemisphere

Evaluation:

  • useful to understand the role of the hemispheres and the extent of lateralisation
  • However, research is not as useful as it could be as brains could have been damaged during surgery and were flawed to begin with, hence the procedure
  • much research and experiments have been carried out collecting reliable data

Plasticity:

  • following damage new branches of axons and dendrites need to grow in neurons
  • sometimes the brain adapts to trauma and finds…

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