Page 1: Hemispheric Lateralisation and Split-Brain Research
The first page delves into hemispheric lateralisation psychology and foundational research on brain specialization. Sperry and Gazzaniga's 1967 split-brain study provides crucial evidence for functional differences between hemispheres through commissurotomy patients.
Definition: Lateralisation refers to the functional specialization of the brain's hemispheres, with the left hemisphere typically dominant for language and the right for visual-motor tasks.
Example: In split-brain patients, objects shown in the left visual field couldn't be described verbally processedbyrighthemisphere due to separation from language centers in the left hemisphere.
Highlight: Rogers et al. 2004 demonstrated evolutionary advantages of lateralisation in chickens, showing enhanced neural processing capacity and multitasking abilities.
Vocabulary: Commissurotomy - surgical separation of the corpus callosum, preventing communication between brain hemispheres.
The text also introduces functional recovery through the case of Patient JW and Gabby Giffords, demonstrating the brain's adaptability after trauma.