Hi
On Thu, 14 Sep 2000, Nathalie Cote wrote:
> So is there an auditory chiasm and do the visual field tests done with split
> brain patients work similarly with the left and right auditory fields?
The visual tests can be done because the left half of each eye
(right visual field) goes to the right hemisphere and the right
half of each eye (left visual field) goes to the left hemisphere.
(I might have this reversed... I always found it quite confusing)
Thus researchers can control which hemisphere receives the
stimulus by placing the stimulus in either the left or right
visual field. Similarly, I gather that tactual perception is
completely crossed (i.e., right hand projects to left hemisphere
and vice versa) given split-brain studies in which patients grasp
objects with either the left or right hand.
Audition, however, is not completely crossed. There are
projections from each ear to both hemispheres, but with the
contralateral connection stronger, perhaps especially
(only?) when both ears receive competing messages. I suspect
that controlled auditory presentation to one hemisphere would be
more difficult to achieve than in vision or touch.
Best wishes
Jim
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James M. Clark (204) 786-9757
Department of Psychology (204) 774-4134 Fax
University of Winnipeg 4L05D
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2E9 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
CANADA http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/~clark
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