And you?

2001/01/23 Carton Virto, Eider - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Medikuntza

Julián P. of the Harvard Medical School of Boston. Keenan's team is investigating epilepsy. To do this, they use the test called "Wada", which consists of the cerebral hemispheres of the patients being subjected alternatively to the tests. In one of these tests the researchers showed their personal photo to the patients and those who had the right anesthetized hemisphere mixed with known characters. Afterwards, they showed them their photo again and asked them what photo they had seen in the previous test. In all cases, those who fell asleep in the right hemisphere responded that they saw the famous character. Those who had the sleeping left hemisphere had no problems getting to know each other.

Ancient suspicion Ancient suspicion

Neurologists have long suspected that the capacity for self-knowledge is associated with the right hemisphere. In fact, those who suffer from a rare disease called astatopagnosis do not know their limbs and the disease is related to the damage of the right hemisphere.

The capacity of self-knowledge is limited by humans and large primates. Some monkeys learn to interpret images from the mirror, but are not known in the mirror. It is believed that there are parts of the right hemisphere that have evolved recently and that is why few living beings have that capacity. Children also begin to know themselves with 18-24 months, just when the prefrontal cortex begins to mature.