a o n th e c onscious properties of th e separated stronghstrong em.pdfVIP

A Divided Mind: Observations on the Conscious Properties of the Separated Hemispheres Joseph E. LeDoux , Ph D , Donald H. Wilson, MD , and Michael S. Gazzaniga, P h D Each cerebral hemisphere in Patient P. S., a callosum-sectioned patient , appears to possess mental properties deserv- ing of conscious status. Th e observations seem to answer m any questions concerning the issue of whether th e mechanisms of consciousness can be split and doubled by split-brain surgery . As P. S . is the first split-brain p atient clearly to possess double conscious processes as well as th e first with extensive bilateral linguistic skills, the observations suggest th at the special nature of human conscious experience is closely tied to linguistic processes. LeDoux JE, Wilson DH, Gazzaniga MS: A divided mind: ob servations on the conscious properties of the separated hemispheres. Ann Neurol 2 :4 1 7-42 1, 1977 Contemp orary interest in th e neuropsychological separate half-brain has its own in dep en dent system for mechanisms of human consciou sness was stimulated assigning values to event s and for setting goals and in th e 1960s by ob servations of patients who had resp on se priorities, th e split brain cannot b e viewed as undergone cerebral commissurotomy in an effort to a split mind . control th e interhemispheric spread of epileptic sei- Th e question of whether the essence of human con- zure activity [7- 101.Th ese split-brain studies dem on - sciousness can be represented bilaterally in th e split- strated