What will happen if a living person's brain is cut into two parts? Such strange experiments were done in 1960

The left and right sides of the brain are specialized for different functions. The left brain is more capable of language tasks. Whereas the right brain is excellent at tasks like spatial mapping.

Would you believe that the two hemispheres of your brain see the world differently? Their beliefs, abilities, and even personalities may be slightly different. Many top psychology books discuss the popular misconception that logical people are left-brained and artistic people are right-brained. 

This is not entirely true… However, it is absolutely true that the left and right sides of the brain are specialized for different functions. For example, the left brain is more capable of language tasks. Whereas the right brain is excellent at tasks like spatial mapping. When they are separated, they start behaving like two completely different people.

 

 

What is split brain research? 

In the 1960s, some patients with severe epilepsy were treated with a very controversial procedure. The corpus callosum, which connects the two hemispheres of the brain and helps them communicate, was surgically cut out. This treatment was effective and cured the patients of their epilepsy. The most surprising thing was that it did not have any major impact on the daily lives of the patients; they continued to behave normally.

The shocking revelations of split-brain research

When scientists studied these patients after this surgery, they found out some very interesting things. This completely changed our understanding of brain works.

• Two separate consciousnesses: The biggest thing that came to light was that when the two hemispheres were not able to communicate with each other, they were behaving somewhat like separate consciousnesses. It seemed as if two different minds were working in the same body.
• Specialized functions: These experiments proved that the two hemispheres of the brain are specialized for different functions: the left hemisphere is primarily responsible for language, logic, and analytical thinking, while the right hemisphere is associated with perception, recognizing faces, emotions, and creativity.
• Strange Behavior: Although there was no major change in the personality, intelligence and emotions of these patients, when special tests were done on them, some strange behavior came to light. For example, if an object was shown only to the left eye (which is connected to the right hemisphere), the patient was able to see it and recognize it with the left hand, but could not tell by speaking what he saw, because the center of speaking is in the left hemisphere.
• Limited communication: In these patients, both hemispheres did not know information about each other. If any information was received, only one hemisphere received it.

 

Let us tell you that these split brain experiments were done by scientists like Roger Sperry and Michael Gazzaniga. Sperry also received the Nobel Prize for this in 1981. These studies gave us unprecedented information about the lateralization of the brain and the nature of consciousness.