Split Brain

5GL Software © Australia

5GL Software admin@5gldoctor.com

In some cases of severe epilepsy, which is uncontrolled activity in the brain, doctors may recommend surgery which cuts the corpus callosum. This is a neuron rich band of tissue that connects the two brains and provides an infinite number of communication paths between the two cerebral hemispheres.

I once lived next to a neighbour who had epilepsy. One time she stepped into the shower, turned the hot water on - but then had a seizure and fainted and woke up severely burnt.

Split-brain patients have their problems at first. For example, in one case a person was hungry and went to the fridge. His left hand reached for an item - but his right hand slapped the left hand away and reached for a different item of food.

Or, one lady was cooking soup. Her right hand stirring while her left hand added some salt - and would not stop adding salt. Her solution was to tie her hand to her apron and then continue stirring the soup.

What all this proves is the two different consciousnesses in all of us, one in each cerebral hemisphere. Together they form the I AM but in isolation they can cause mischief to the owner.

Even though the corpus callosum is cut, some communication still takes place between the two brains. The facial muscles innervate both brains and these are used by both brains in split-brain patients to convey essential coordination information across.

The drawing on the left is how a typical split-brain patient sees the world. Normally the left side of the body is connected to the opposite cerebral hemisphere with a few exceptions such as facial nerves. Hence the left eye is connected to the right brain, and the right eye to the left brain. So, if we ask a split-brain patient to close his left eye - that makes the right brain blind and it can not see. Now the left brain, seeing with the right eye, is asked to draw what the eyes sees. Notice how a house comes out? The right hand drawing is the result of the left brain only seeing. The left brain lacks a third dimension of perception. The right brain, on the other hand, lacks the ability to see details.

This is crucial to understand in the context of states of mind. Those occupations that mainly use the left brain, such as lawyers, lack the ability to see the picture as a whole and their state of mind reflects this.

Only in cases of severe epilepsy (seizures). Note that some medical authorities make a distinction between epilepsy and a seizure but that is not particular important in this context
At first a partial cut is made. Only if this does not work and does not reduce the seizures, only then is the rest of the corpus callosum cut
In time a split-brain patients learns to do things as well as anyone else - but after the operation and for a long time problems can emerge with coordination and the two consciousness disagreeing about certain matters

Exposing the corpus callosum in a small brain, perhaps a cat.