Effects Without a Corpus Callosum

In this week's reading I was really interested in how people without a corpus callosum would be able to make all of the same connections to the two different hemispheres as people with their corpus callosum.  We all know that the corpus callosum in our brain is composed of nerve fibers in between the left and right hemispheres transferring information to either side. What would happen if there was no connector between the hemispheres? Would they even be able to make connections? How would the left side of the brain communicate with the right side without something in between the two? This was amazing to read that even though people who were born without a corpus callosum were slower and less accurate on tasks, although, they have some advantages as opposed to the split-brain people, or people who had surgery to their corpus callosum. This dangerous procedure has been helpful for those who experience epileptic seizures.
 One example between split-brain patients and people with no corpus callosum is that split-brain patients cannot verbally describe what they feel since speech is mainly on the left hemisphere and the patient is looking in the left visual field but the information is coming from the right hemisphere. They are unable to make the connections with visual and verbal stimuli because the corpus callosum cannot transfer information across to the opposite hemisphere.
Another interesting fact about people born without a corpus callosum is that their brain learns to make other means of communication. For instance, commissures, or connectors, that are in the brain become larger so that those without a corpus callosum can have some type of communication between the two hemispheres. By doing so, this somewhat makes up for the loss of a corpus callosum.

This video of a split-brain patient named Joe, proves clearly that the right and left hemisphere have difficulties communicating with one anther. Dr. Gazzaniga explains why and how this occurs.