Split-brain/consciousness

[Pat Bermingham]

In article: <42f19n$5ca at southern.co.nz>  bsandle at southern.co.nz (Brian 
Sandle) writes:
> 
> Donna Tabish (102703.3346 at CompuServe.COM) wrote:
> : 
> : I would like to know if anyone has, is doing research on, is 
> : interested in, or knows internet locations of information 
> : concerning the possible correlation/similarities between the 
> : effect on consciousness/personality of the split-brain (either by 
> : surgery or in early developmental years) and the phenomena of 
> : dissociation/dissociated identity.
> : 
> 

> Another thing which bears on the matter is that people can live quite 
> well and even be very intelligent with only a brain stem.

WHAT????? WRONG. VERY WRONG. (Or was that a joke?)
  
> Brian Sandle. Shell to snail? bsandle at southern.co.nz
 
In answer to Donna's original question, look up Gazzaniga; Sperry; and 
Preilowski on medline or psychlit if you can. This is quite old stuff (60's 
- 70's). Sperry and co believed that in split brain patients 

"each hemisphere has its own private sensations, perceptions, thoughts, 
feelings and memories" and   "they constitute two separate minds, two 
separate spheres of consciousness"

This is however quite different from dissociated identity patients whose 
personalities can rank in the 30s or more. There is some suspicion that in 
many cases these "personalities" are created by reckless psychotherapists 
whose suggestions turn a minor disorder into this unlikely scenario, which 
they then believe they have "uncovered" in therapy, much like repressed 
memories. Other theories highlight the possibility of a self-hypnotic event 
during childhood. 

Either way, the situations are quite dissimilar. In the one case the two 
halves of the brain are severed from one another and the brain is thus 
hard-wired for dissociation. As far as I am aware, there is no evidence for 
any anatomical dissociation in multiple personality syndrome patients, and 
this might be considered a more "functional" problem.

Hope this is of use.
lys
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Pat Bermingham, Adflex Ltd UK             e-mail: patb at demon.co.uk
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