Leukotomy
Leukotomy
Leukotomy (pronounced: loo-ko-toh-mee), also known as Lobotomy, is a form of psychosurgery, a neurosurgical treatment of a mental disorder that involves severing connections in the brain's prefrontal cortex. The term is derived from the Greek words leuko (meaning white) and tome (meaning cutting), referring to the procedure's focus on the brain's white matter.
History
The procedure was first performed in the 1930s by Portuguese neurologist António Egas Moniz, who believed that mental illnesses were caused by fixed circuits in the brain and that their function could be altered by cutting certain connections. Moniz was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1949 for his discovery of the therapeutic value of leukotomy in certain psychoses.
Procedure
In a leukotomy, a surgeon would make small holes in the patient's skull and then insert a sharp instrument, such as a leucotome or a orbitoclast, into the brain. The instrument would be moved back and forth to cut the white matter in the prefrontal cortex, disrupting the connections between this area and the rest of the brain.
Criticism and Decline
Leukotomy has been heavily criticized for its severe side effects, which can include personality changes, apathy, and a decrease in creativity and initiative. It has also been condemned for its use in controlling unruly patients rather than treating mental illness. The procedure fell out of favor in the 1950s with the introduction of antipsychotic medications.
Related Terms
- Psychosurgery
- Prefrontal Cortex
- António Egas Moniz
- Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- Orbitoclast
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Leukotomy
- Wikipedia's article - Leukotomy
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