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
      71·
      1 month 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
        4·
        1 month 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!

        • naught@sh.itjust.works
          3·
          1 month 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
            11·
            1 month 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.

    • Manjushri@piefed.socialEnglish
      4·
      1 month ago

      Probably three brains if you consider the neural activity going on in the gut and how it interacts with our brain.

      In a study published in 2023, the scientists found that long COVID is associated with a reduction in the body’s natural levels of serotonin, a signaling molecule that is produced the brain and the gut. In the brain, serotonin influences mood, sleep and memory. In the rest of the body, it plays a role in physiology, but Thaiss and Levy found that gut-produced serotonin can affect the brain as well.

      …

      Before these findings, scientists debated how SARS-CoV-2 could cause cognitive problems, as it is unclear if the virus breaches the blood-brain barrier. But the study by Thaiss and Levy suggests that the disease could have direct influence on the brain via the vagus nerve, regardless of whether the virus enters the brain.

      …

      The gut also contains the largest number of neurons outside the brain of any structure in the body — more than 100 million neurons line the human digestive tract, from the esophagus to the anus. These cells make up what is known as the enteric nervous system, which some scientists refer to as a “second brain.”

      It never ceases to amaze me how complicated our bodies and our minds are.

      • DeathsEmbrace@lemmy.world
        1·
        1 month ago

        Fuck this shit show. Its connected to the blood system and liver too. It becomes a rabbit hole. Don’t go down it.

      • Laser@feddit.org
        1·
        1 month ago

        Looking at lizards, I think they’re ahead though.

        Enjoy sun
        Eat some bugs
        Lizard life

  • thethrilloftime69@feddit.onlineEnglish
    4·
    1 month ago

    Pretty cool stuff. It’s been well understood for a while that lower brain function governs things like hunger sex and lower animal functions and the frontal cortex governs higher reasoning. Crazy they might have been separate organs at one point.

  • xSikes@feddit.onlineEnglish
    0·
    1 month ago

    And people said either I’m bipolar or just a classic Gemini. Now I’m just going to tell them about this recent study and tell them that hearing two voice in my head is normal.