Name

1/19/2010

Mr. Smith

1 Contemporary Literature

The Brain Divided

The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. A longitudinal fissure

separates the brain into two distinct cerebral hemispheres, which are connected by the

corpus callosum. In simpler terms the hemispheres are known as the left and the right

sides of the brain. The left side is in control of the right side of the body while the right

side is in control the left side of the body. Both hemispheres have numerous similarities

however there are many differences in the way each cerebral hemisphere functions. A

few similarities include appearance, same biological construction and the fact that both

sides work together in harmony. A few differences comprise of the difference in

functions, culture, and personality.

Let’s dive into the physical appearance of the brain and its two cerebral

hemispheres. The two cerebral hemispheres have mirroring symmetry. They are both

made of very soft tissue and have a texture that is sometimes compared to Jello. The

hemispheres are a pinkish color because of the blood flowing throughout the brain. In a

brain dissection lesson given by Jean-Paul Vonsattel shows us how feeble the connection

is between the two hemispheres. Vonsattel simply puts his knife through the corpus
callosum (which is the flat bundle of nerve fibers that connects the halves) and both sides

fall apart, each side a carbon copy of the other.

Besides being similar in appearance the two hemispheres have the same

biological construction. The cerebral cortex contains around 15-33 billions of neurons

that are linked up to 10,000 synaptic connections each. A neuron is basically like an on

and off switch you would find in your home. The neurons communicate with another

with the use of long protoplasmic fibers called axons which carry trains of signal pulses

to distant parts of the body. The right and left hemispheres work together to share things

like sound, pain, hunger, position, and sensations on both sides of the face.

An important characteristic in nature is that that things have to work together in

harmony. This is exactly how the brain works. The two hemispheres must work together

for the human body to function properly. In an everyday situation the right side of the

brain takes visual information and puts it together for example “This is a laptop”. It

organizes and groups things together. Then the left side of the brain takes this

information and applies language to it; for example “This is a white laptop, it belongs to

the school”. The left and right side of the brain work together and this is the reason we

are able to think and function the way we do. A research study further expands on this

and shows the greater understanding of functional laterality with the usage of split brain

patients. Split brain patients are those who have undergone corpus callosotomy which is

treatment for severe epilepsy. This drastic procedure severs the connection between the

left and right hemispheres and the two hemispheres are unable to communicate with each
other. During the study the split brain patients were shown pictures of household objects.

It was later proved that the patients could not name what they were seeing due to the loss

of the connection. This study showed that the left and right brain need to work together or

our thinking would be perceived as incomplete.

Even though the two hemispheres have strong similarities they have multiple

differences. The left and the right side of the brain have different operations. The left side

of the brain is classified as pragmatic; it processes information in a linear manner. It takes

pieces and lines them up; then it draws conclusions. The right side however, processes

the big picture first then the details. It processes things from whole to parts, holistically.

Besides the different learning methods each hemisphere has its own disorders. Such as

Dyscalculia which is lateralized to the left hemisphere of the brain. It’s a neurological

syndrome that is associated with poor numeric manipulation and inability to understand

mathematical concepts.

The two hemispheres play a large part in culture. People that are right brained are

generally thought of as dreamers, artists, and musicians of the world. The people that are

left brain dominant are generally perceived as logical and tend to fit into the stereotype of

the modern cubicle worker. For example if one Google’s the two hemispheres one can

find lists of employment for people who are left brain or right brain dominant. Nobel

Prize winner Roger Sperry states “The main theme to emerge... is that there appear to be

two modes of thinking, verbal and nonverbal, represented rather separately in left and

right hemispheres respectively and that our education system, as well as science in
general, tends to neglect the nonverbal form of intellect. What it comes down to is that

modern society discriminates against the right hemisphere.” Even today in the modern

world this is true. In the educational system right brain dominant people are moved to the

back of the bus. Also programs such as music and art are receiving cutbacks and have

been deemed inconsequential compared to subjects such as Science, Mathematics, and

English. However the world needs more creative thinkers, in the state the economy is in

today perhaps a new out of the box approach can be used. The link between left

handedness, the right hemisphere of the brain and creativity is also explored in television

shows such as 30 Rock. Jack states to Liz Lemon Jack: “I'm not a creative type like you,

with your work sneakers and left-handedness”. In modern culture the two hemispheres

have been generalized and placed into two individual boxes. However we fail to

recognize that personality comes into play when we are generalizing people.

http://www.all-about-psychology.com/images/left-brain-right-brain-23242.jpg
 Personality is very important and is a main difference when discussing the left

and right hemispheres of the brain. Scientists have explored theories that link the two

hemispheres with certain personality traits. Theories suggest that right brain dominant

people tend to be more emotional and intuitive while left brain dominant people respond

to more logical thinking. A few other examples are that dominant left brain people tend to

be more organized, they watch the clock, follow rules and schedules, and they are strong

in mathematics and science. While on the other hand right brain dominant people are the

dreamers, are strong in social sciences and the arts, they are more spontaneous and they

tend to follow their instincts. What about those that fall in the middle? They are classified

as middle brain oriented and share most of the traits above.

In conclusion both hemispheres have numerous similarities however there are

many differences in the functions of each cerebral hemisphere. A few of the similarities

include appearance, same biological construction and the fact that both sides work

together in harmony. A few differences are the difference in functions, culture, and

personality. The two hemispheres of the brain are vital to life and have made a large mark

in the modern world.