1. What does it mean for a person's brain to be "split"?It means that they cut off the connection, corpus calosum between the two hemispheres. "Each hemisphere is still able to learn after the split brain operation but one hemisphere has no idea about what the other hemisphere has experienced or learned". The two hemispheres function separately.
2. What was the reason why this procedure was performed on patients?
It began in 1960s to help patients with one kind of epilepsy, because there was no other cure for that at the time.
3. Explain one of the tests Sperry and Gazzaniga performed on these split brain patients.
For one experiment they tested each hemispheres capability to perform simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. They showed him examples and presented it to each hemisphere exclusively. Then they showed him a probe. He was given 2 buttons and he was supposed to press a button for "right: or "wrong".
4. What were the results of this test?
The results suggested that the left hemisphere is specialized for calculation.
5. What is the reason that these results occurred?
Since the brain is split each hemisphere works separately and each of the two has different "specialization".
6. What is the corpus callosum and what role does it serve in your brain?
The corpus callosum is a thick band of nerve fibers that divides the cerebrum into left and right hemispheres. It connects the left and right sides of the brain allowing for communication between both hemispheres. The corpus callosum transfers motor, sensory, and cognitive information between the brain hemispheres. It serves for eye movements, communication between hemispheres, maintaining the balance of arousal and attention, and also tactile localization.
Sources : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split-brain , http://www.macalester.edu/academics/psychology/whathap/ubnrp/split_brain/pioneers.html , http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/split-brain/background.html
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