Question

A right-handed split-brain patient is first asked to name an object placed into her right hand without looking at it. She then is asked to name a different object placed into her left hand without looking at it. What probably will happen?


a. She will not be able to name either object.
b. She will be able to name both objects.
c. She will be able to name the object placed into her left hand but not be able to name the object placed into her right hand.
d. She will be able to name the object placed into her right hand but not be able to name the object placed into her left hand.

Answer 1

The sensible nerves in the right hand go to the left hemisphere of the brain. An object placed into the right hand is therefore processed by only the left hemisphere by a split-brain patient. The speech part is also mainly centered in the left hemisphere. So when she feels an object with her right hand, she would also be able to name the object in her right hand. However an object in her left hand would be processed in the right hemisphere, which does not contain the main speech part of the brain and thus she would not be able to be able to name the object in her left hand. Therefor the answer should be D.