Bi-versus monohemispheric performance in split-brain and partially split-brain macaques

Abstract

Experiments comparing binocular with monocular abilities of monkeys working on visual mnemonic tasks were performed. First, it was shown that even in split-brain monkeys performance was more accurate when both hemispheres were utilized than when the task was performed with only the single (better) hemisphere. Some form of noncommissural integration is thus possible. However, when the forebrain commissures are present, as in four other animals (with only optic chiasm transected) it was shown that integration occurs via callosal mechanisms as well. This was demonstrated by the fact that here, too, binocular performance was normally more accurate than monocular performance, but when different images to be remembered were presented concurrently to the two eyes, the binocular advantage was lost. Finally, in three monkeys with only the anterior commissure allowing interhemispheric communication the superiority of binocular assessment remained even when the two hemispheres simultaneously received such differing images.