split-brain studies

Split-brain studies involve patients who have undergone surgery to sever the corpus callosum, the brain's main communication pathway between the two hemispheres. This procedure is typically done to treat severe epilepsy. Researchers observe how these patients process information, finding that each hemisphere can act independently: one side may be able to speak while the other can understand visual cues but cannot express them verbally. These studies help us understand how different brain regions function and support theories about lateralization, where certain cognitive tasks are specialized to one hemisphere.