lateralisation and split brain research

Question 1

briefly explain what is menat by the term lateralisation

Answer 1

two hemispheres of the brain have different functions which are specialised for different areas of the brain and body

Question 2

what is the left side of the brain concerned with and how is this different from the right

Answer 2

For example, the left hemisphere is mainly concerned with speech and language and the right with visual-motor tasks.

Question 3

what is the brains two hemispheres connected by

Answer 3

The brain’s 2 hemispheres are connected by a bundle of nerve fibres – the corpus callosum – which allows information received by one hemisphere to be transferred to the other hemisphere.

Question 4

who were the first researchers to study the capabilities of split brain patients?

Answer 4

Sperry and Gazzaniga

Question 5

summarise the outcome of research into split brain patients

Answer 5

research into split brain patients demonstrated that severing the corpus callosum prevents lateralised functional areas from receiving signals from opposite sides of the body. Therefore proving that language is lateralised in the left hemisphere but not in the right.