Our Divided Brain

The cerebral cortex of the brain is divided into two halves called hemispheres. A large band of neural fibers, pictured here, connects the two brain hemispheres. To photograph the half brain shown at left, the hemispheres were separated by cutting through the corpus callosum and lower brain regions. In the view on the right, a surgeon has cut back brain tissue to expose the corpus callosum and bundles of fibers coming out from it.

To treat extreme cases of epilepsy, doctors sometimes cut the corpus callosum. By studying individuals who’ve had this procedure done, we can learn more about how the two hemispheres of the brain work together.

1. Human Memory - Left and Right Hemisphere of the Brain

2. Review Hemispheric Specialization and Left and Right Hemisphere of the Brain to learn more about this research and how the two hemispheres work together.