The Stanford University breakthrough stands to open new doors for research into fatal neurodegenerative diseases

The human brain is not a single organ, but two separate systems that evolved independently before fusing together, according to groundbreaking new research. … Armed with the knowledge of how hindbrain cells uniquely form, the team has successfully turned human stem cells into becoming functional hindbrain motor neurons in a lab for the first time.

    • naught@sh.itjust.works
      515·
      1 day ago

      The left/right brain thing has always been bunk. People have entire hemispheres removed with minimal negative consequences, personality changes, etc.

      • sem@piefed.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        27·
        1 day ago

        The personality test stuff is bunk. Pretty sure the experiment with the one hand drawing something and the other hand doesn’t know are real.

        Are you sure people can have an entire hemisphere removed with minimal consequences? That sounds absolutely wild!

        • Xraygoggles@lemmy.world
          4·
          14 hours ago

          There are brain surgeries where you just chuck out the extra to get to the parts you want to work on, eloquent vs non-eloquent tissue. And epilepsy surgery where they completely disconnect the halves. Recently read a pretty good book on this.

          If you skip the first chapter, and then stop once he starts talking about anything other than neuroscience The Immortal Mind is a great overview of this by an extremely talented neurosurgeon who has dog shit views on literally everything else. Still worth it for the good parts but I warned you.

        • naught@sh.itjust.works
          17·
          1 day ago

          I learned this a while ago so I had to double check!

          In terms of postoperative motor function, some patients may have improvement or no change of their weaker extremity,[11] and many can walk independently.[13] Most patients postoperatively have minimal to no behavioral problems, satisfactory language skills, good reading capability,[13] and only a minority of patients have a decline in IQ.[14] Predictors of poor outcome may include seizure recurrence and structural abnormalities in the intact hemisphere.[13]

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemispherectomy

          • HubertManne@piefed.socialEnglish
            121·
            1 day ago

            so. here is the thing. that. to me. is more of an indication the two hemispheres are independent and thus the left right thing. If we take the previous paragrpah into consideration:

            There is also data pertaining to how hemispherectomy affects the body in other ways. After surgery, the remaining cerebral hemisphere is often able to take over some cognitive, sensory and motor functions. The degree to which the remaining hemisphere takes on this additional workload often depends on several factors, including the underlying etiology, which hemisphere is removed and the age at which the surgery occurs.[13]

            In terms of postoperative motor function, some patients may have improvement or no change of their weaker extremity,[11] and many can walk independently.[13] Most patients postoperatively have minimal to no behavioral problems, satisfactory language skills, good reading capability,[13] and only a minority of patients have a decline in IQ.[14] Predictors of poor outcome may include seizure recurrence and structural abnormalities in the intact hemisphere.[13]

            We can see that indeed the other hemisphere has to expand its capability from what it had pre surgery and that much of what they are looking at is basic function and not like if they were as good at art or reasoning after surgery.