173k views
3 votes
How will a split-brain patient respond if asked to state what he sees when a spoon is presented in the left visual field?

A. Cannot verbalize what is seen
B. Accurately describes the spoon
C. Reports seeing nothing
D. Experiences visual hallucinations

User Mjhasbach
by
7.8k points

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

A split-brain patient will be unable to verbalize what is seen when a spoon is presented in the left visual field because the corpus callosum disruption prevents communication between the hemispheres.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a spoon is presented in the left visual field of a split-brain patient, the patient will likely respond by being unable to verbalize what is seen (option A). This is because in a split-brain patient, where the corpus callosum has been cut to treat severe epilepsy, the transfer of visual information from the right hemisphere (which receives input from the left visual field) to the speech centers in the left hemisphere is disrupted. Despite this, the patient might still be able to pick up the spoon with their left hand if asked, because the right hemisphere can still process the visual input and guide the motor response, but without the cross-hemisphere communication necessary for verbal identification.

User Ethan Fang
by
7.4k points