The primary reason for initially performing split-brain surgery on humans was to:
A) find out what each half of the brain can do, cut off from the other.
B) reduce the seizures in patients with debilitating, uncontrollable epilepsy.
C) find out whether the two hemispheres would develop an alternate means of communication.
D) reduce the tremors, stiffness, and rigidity of severe Parkinson's disease.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The primary reason for initially performing split-brain surgery on humans was to reduce the seizures in patients with debilitating, uncontrollable epilepsy. By cutting the corpus callosum (the bundle of nerve fibers connecting the two hemispheres of the brain), doctors were able to prevent the spread of seizures from one hemisphere to the other, which led to a significant reduction in seizures for many patients.

The Primary Reason for Initially Performing Split-Brain Surgery on Humans