The experimental technique that involves removing part of the brain is known as
OverviewWhat is a corpus callosotomy?A corpus callosotomy is a surgical treatment for epilepsy. Epilepsy is a chronic condition that causes recurrent seizures in children and adults. Show
During a corpus callosotomy, a doctor called a neurosurgeon, cuts the brain’s corpus callosum. This band of nerve fibers carries messages between the brain’s two halves, or hemispheres. A corpus callosotomy stops seizure signals from going back and forth between the two hemispheres. This procedure is also called callosal sectioning or brain-splitting. How does a corpus callosotomy work?A cut corpus callosum can’t send seizure signals from one side of the brain to the other. Seizures still occur on the side of the brain where they start. After surgery, these seizures tend to be less severe because they only affect half of the brain. What type of seizure does a corpus callosotomy treat?This surgery helps people who experience a lot of atonic seizures despite taking antiseizure medications. A person experiencing an atonic seizure suddenly loses muscle strength and collapses or drops to the ground. An atonic seizure increases the risk of injuries, including broken bones and concussions. Atonic seizures are also known as drop seizures or drop attacks. A corpus callosotomy is not an effective treatment for people who experience partial (focal) seizures. These seizures develop in a small region, or focal point, of the brain. Procedure DetailsWhat should I expect before a corpus callosotomy?Your healthcare provider will review presurgical steps with you. You may need some tests to help your provider find where the seizures originate. These tests include:
How is a corpus callosotomy performed?A corpus callosotomy takes place under general anesthesia, which means you’re asleep throughout the procedure. Your neurosurgeon will perform a craniotomy, opening the skull to access the brain. During the procedure, your surgeon:
Sometimes, a corpus callosotomy procedure takes place in two stages. During the first stage, your neurosurgeon cuts only the front part of the corpus callosum. This approach allows the two brain sections to continue sharing visual information. If you continue to have frequent, severe seizures, your doctors may consider a second surgery to sever the corpus callosum completely. What should I expect after a corpus callosotomy?You’ll spend several days in the hospital. You should be able to get back to everyday activities within six to eight weeks. Some patients take longer to recover than others. It depends on a lot of factors, such as if a person has side effects and the extent of the callosotomy. A corpus callosotomy doesn’t stop all seizures, so it's expected you'll remain on antiseizure medications after the procedure. During recovery, you may temporarily experience:
Risks / BenefitsWhat are the potential risks or complications of a corpus callosotomy?Any type of surgical treatment for epilepsy has risk, which will be weighed carefully with the chance you will benefit from the procedure by your care team. Serious problems after a corpus callosotomy are rare. Disconnection syndrome is the most common issue after surgery. With eyes closed, the two sides of the brain don’t cooperate when carrying out simple tasks. The right and left sides of the body move in conflict with each other. Other potential problems include:
Recovery and OutlookHow effective is a corpus callosotomy?Studies show that a corpus callosotomy is an effective way to reduce seizures when medications don’t work. Up to half of people who have this surgical procedure no longer experience drop attacks. Approximately one in five people are seizure-free after surgery. When to Call the DoctorWhen should I call the doctor?You should call your healthcare provider if you experience:
A note from Cleveland Clinic Epileptic seizures are unpredictable. They can disrupt your life and increase your risk of injury. Some seizures can be life-threatening. If antiseizure medications don’t control atonic (drop) seizures, your healthcare provider may recommend surgery. Studies show that a corpus callosotomy is an effective way to reduce — and sometimes completely stop — these seizures. The surgery may greatly improve your quality of life. Talk to your provider about the benefits and risks of epilepsy surgery. What experimental technique involves removing part of the brain?The method of removal of part of the brain was termed "experimental ablation". With the use of experimental ablation, Flourens claimed to find the area of the brain that controlled heart rate and breathing. Ablative brain surgery is also often used as a research tool in neurobiology.
Is when researchers study humans with brain damage and their behaviors?Neuropsychology is the study of the psychological effects of brain damage in human patients.
What is the process of unconscious inference?Unconscious Inference is part of a theory of visual perception that was first put forward by German researcher Hermann von Helmholtz. This theory implies that human vision is incomplete and that details are inferred by the unconscious mind to create a complete picture.
Which of the following is an example of an effect of topOne classic example of top-down processing in action is a phenomenon known as the Stroop effect. In this task, people are shown a list of words printed in different colors. They're then asked to name the ink color, rather than the word itself.
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