Hemisphere lateralisation

• What is the primary function of the left hemisphere of the brain?


  Language processing
• What is the primary function of the right hemisphere of the brain?


  Spatial processing
• What is the corpus callosum's role in the brain?


  It connects both hemispheres of the brain
• Why was the corpus callosum proposed to be cut in some patients?


  To benefit people with epilepsy
• What opportunity did the cutting of the corpus callosum provide researchers?


  To study lateralisation of brain function
• How is information from the left side of the body processed in the brain?

  It is processed by the right hemisphere
• What happens to information transfer in split brain patients?


  They cannot pass information to the other hemisphere
• Can split brain patients undertake normal routines?


  Yes, they can
• Who conducted the split brain studies in the 1960s?

  Sperry
• What was the procedure used in Sperry's study?


  Patients had their corpus callosum cut to relieve epilepsy
• How many split brain patients were compared in Sperry's study?


  11 split brain patients
• What was the visual setup for the patients in Sperry's study?


  Images were shown to either the left or right visual field
• Why were images projected at a high speed in Sperry's study?


  To prevent patients from seeing the other image
• What were patients instructed to do after seeing the images?

  Respond verbally or non-verbally to what they saw
• What was the outcome when images were shown in the right visual field?


  Patients could describe the image
• What was the outcome when images were shown in the left visual field?


  Patients could not describe the image
• Why could patients not verbally describe images shown in the left visual field?

  Because the information went to the right hemisphere, which does not process language
• How did patients recognize objects shown in the left visual field?


  They could match the object using their left hand
• What does the conclusion of Sperry's study support?


  Lateralisation of function in the brain
• What are the strengths of Sperry's study?


  • Highly standardised procedures
  • Controls extraneous variables
  • Cause and effect can be inferred
• What are the weaknesses of Sperry's study?


  • Small and unrepresentative sample (11 people)
  • Unique changes in brain due to epilepsy
  • Not generalisable to real life
  • Language may not be restricted to the left hemisphere
• What did Gazzaniga suggest about language processing in the brain?


  Language may not be restricted to the left hemisphere
• What case study did Gazzaniga reference to support his claim about language processing?


  The case study of J.W.