The human brain is an amazing thing. Doubtlessly, you have probably heard someone described as “right brained” or “left brained” at least once in your life. Psychologists accentuate the difference between the left side and the right side of the brain, labeling the left brain as logical, rational, analytical and objective. The right brain is the “creative” side, associated with aesthetics, feelings, intuition, and subjectivity. In reality, the differences between the right brain and the left brain may be exaggerated in popular culture, but there still are some key differences between the two.

The left brain’s specialty are language functions like grammar, vocabulary, speaking and writing. The right brain is sometimes labeled the “mute side of the brain,” doing the best at nonverbal and spatial tasks, being linked to artistic talent and facial perception.

Some evidence suggests that the left hemisphere is involved most when it comes to well rehearsed or routine processing, and the right hemisphere comes into play when it comes to processing novel situations. The left hemisphere controls the right side of the body, and the right hemisphere controls the left side. But many simple tasks require both hemispheres to be involved, and therefore communication between the two is necessary.

This is where the corpus callosum comes into play. It links the two hemispheres together and makes communication and coordination between the two possible. The corpus callosum lies along the fissure between the left and right hemispheres and is responsible for the transfer different kinds of information from one side to the next.

Sometimes, however, a surgery called corpus callosotomy is necessary, usually a last resort to treat intractable epilepsy. This surgery results in the corpus callosum being severed to a certain degree. At first, doctors will only attempt to remove one third of the corpus callosum, but if epileptic seizures persist, another one third will be lesioned, leaving only one third of the corpus callosum, and most information transfer between the two hemispheres greatly reduced. To be continued in part two….

Mallory Megan works for Rapid Recovery Solution and writes articles on credit collection agencies.