Alien Hands and the Splitting of the Brain

Sun Nov 07, 2004 1:34 am by The Ninja

Okay, after the smell thread, i thing there should be some real brain-frying science.

I recently read an article on Alien Hand Syndrome.

What this condition is where one of your hands, usually the left, randomly acts on its own accord, like it has a mind of its own. Now this condition only exsists in sufferes of extreme epilepsy cases who have undergone 'split brain' procedures, where the nerves that connect the two hemispheres of the brain is severed to prevent the spread of the electrical storm known as epilepsy.

Now, due to this procedure, patients who have under split brain operations have got some weird side effects.

1: If they see an object with one eye, for example the number 1024 in the left eye, they would be unable to spell out that number with their right hand.

2: The second side effect is the rare 'Alien Hand' Syndrome mentioned before.

Now this brings up an interesting point.

What exactly is controlling the 'Alien Hand'? is there two conciessnesses formed due to the split brain? or is it just a reflex action? And if there is two minds in the one head, why do 'normal' (i use that word in the loosest sense

) people only have one personality? or do we have 2, its just that they work in sync?

I must admit this explains some of humanities ability to adapt and solve problems better than a single robotic/digital mind, and the hampering in the field of AI.

So there it is TLR. ponder this for a while, and i will be back with some more theoretical questions about the nature of life the universe and everything. (six by nine?)

=:=
The Shark
-:-
I used to be a guy called Cosmic Viator, jake_langley, Griffin, raz0r_j@ck, jade_falcon, joker2015, starfox... Jared Tyers was in there somewhere too...

Sun Nov 07, 2004 2:06 am by Balthazar Furious

I've seen a documentary on this "alien hand" thing. I think that it's probably the subconcious able to finally act after this brain procedure is performed. The documentary itself had several interesting theories though.

1. That everyone is born with more than personality, and it is the other personality(ies) that is/are controlling the hand.

2. That there is a darker side to human nature which is normally subconciously controlled. When this procedure is performed though, it can surface.

3. That it is simply parts of the brain acting up which have been seperated from complete control because of this procedure.

Sun Nov 07, 2004 2:30 am by sycho warrior

Hmm a friend of mine studying medical, once told me about the splitting of the brain thing, apparently its quite freaking...as for the alien hand thing...tbh I've never heard about it...but isnt this simply your right brain acting on its own?

Sun Nov 07, 2004 3:37 am by bret bretonian

I believe the term is "Idle hands are the devils playground".

Its an interesting topic. I don't think we have two personalities at all and i think this just comes down to nerve problems. If part of your brain is damaged in anyway it can cause numerous problems. An example would be severe brain damage as a result of an accident. You can lose the ability to walk. I'm no scientist or doctor but would this not be damage to the nerves that send signals to our legs so we can actually walk?

Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:53 pm by Esquilax

If they see an object with one eye, for example the number 1024 in the left eye, they would be unable to spell out that number with their right hand.

As I recall from Psychology back at Uni, that is usually a symptom of "semi-hemispheral neglect" (I think that that's what it's called), which is usually caused by damage to the corpus callosum, the "bridge" between the two halves of the brain. This "alien hand" thing could be similar.

Edited by - esquilax on 11/7/2004 7:54:35 PM

Mon Nov 08, 2004 3:01 am by kimk

it could just be mis-interpretation of the signals sent to the hand. like hearing commands wrong. tell the dog to stay and it might interpret that as jumping around wild.

Mon Nov 08, 2004 3:58 am by Esquilax

...tell the dog to stay and it might interpret that as jumping around wild.

I've been there Kimk

.

Sun Dec 05, 2004 4:00 am by Glock36

This operation is a TOTAL CUTTING of the corpus callosum, the bundle of nerve fibers that connect the left and right hemispheres of the brain and allow them to communicate with each other. I'm still trying to figure out how a person suvives this surgery with thier ability to perceive "reality" intact.

Any good psychologist will tell you that even the sanest of us has AT A MINIMUM, two personalities. Most of us have more. The thing is, do they mesh well?

If they do, then most people don't notice it.

If they are very disparate, then you have mulitple personality disorder.

If the hand that is spasmodic interferes with your ability to play Freelancer, then you have Distonic Spasmodic Freelancer-Specific Disorder.

Glock36
"No Comment"

Sun Dec 05, 2004 5:31 am by druid

that's odd, most people i meet seem to have no personality at all

dunno esqui

Any good psychologist will tell you that even the sanest of us has AT A MINIMUM, two personalities

i know that i'm flyingin the face of all good psychological malarchy ( that's my new word for stuff i really don't understand and should probably not comment on

) but i'd rather see it as multiple strands of the one personality. if i face a dilema one part of my personality is at odds with another. just because i have these different parts does not mean that they are completely detatched. is multiple personality not just this same event but at a much greater level? or should i separate personality and consciousness?

and as for that alien hand ...when it acts as a separate entity to the rest of the body is it doing anything constructive? i mean is there any reason to accord a level of consciousness to its actions

*Edit was to delete the excessive use of smilies inserted on such a serious topic...it was my left hand's fault, i had nothing to do with it, at least not the i that i am aware of.

"My sig is in the post but the man in the shop promised I will find it witty and topical when it arrives."

Edited by - Druid on 12/5/2004 5:35:48 AM

Sun Dec 05, 2004 3:12 pm by Esquilax

I didn't say that Druid, Glock did! I wouldn't presume that much

.

Sun Dec 05, 2004 3:44 pm by druid

sorry!!! my bad esqui...my left brain does'nt know what my right is up to

between the voices in my head and the bits of my body that are going off tho join the circus it all very difficult to cope with right now

"My sig is in the post but the man in the shop promised I will find it witty and topical when it arrives."

Sun Dec 05, 2004 7:51 pm by Glock36

It's quite acceptable to fly in the face of Psychology. Psychologists do it all the time.

Fri Dec 10, 2004 5:10 pm by The Shroud (lurking)

I don't think now would be a good time for me to mention that mutiple personaliys might be you emotions

Sat Dec 11, 2004 2:19 pm by druid

@ the sad chief; anytime's good with me.

why not tell us more and let us decide for ourselves

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