Lobotomy
Lobotomy
Lobotomy (pronounced: loh-BOT-uh-mee) is a form of neurosurgery, or surgery that involves the brain and nervous system. It was a common treatment for a variety of mental illnesses during the mid-20th century, but is now rarely used due to the development of more effective and less invasive treatments.
Etymology
The term "lobotomy" comes from the Greek words lobos, meaning "lobe" and tome, meaning "cut". It refers to the process of cutting or removing a portion of the brain's frontal lobe.
Procedure
A lobotomy involves the surgical removal or alteration of parts of the brain's frontal lobes, the area responsible for higher cognitive functions such as reasoning, problem-solving, and emotional expression. The procedure was typically performed by inserting a sharp instrument, like a leucotome or orbitoclast, through the patient's eye socket.
History
The lobotomy was first performed in the 1930s by Portuguese neurologist António Egas Moniz, who believed that mental illnesses were caused by fixed patterns of thought in these lobes and that by removing or altering these areas, a patient's symptoms would improve. Moniz was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1949 for his discovery of the therapeutic value of lobotomy in certain psychoses.
Criticism and Decline
The use of lobotomy declined in the 1950s with the introduction of antipsychotic medications. The procedure has been widely criticized for its severe side effects, including personality changes, cognitive and emotional impairment, and in some cases, death. Today, it is considered a controversial and largely obsolete procedure.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Lobotomy
- Wikipedia's article - Lobotomy
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