What is lobotomy and what is it for

Surely you have ever heard the phrase of "¡It seems to you that the brain has washed you!", To refer to a person who has radically changed mind on a subject. But, ¿Where this expression comes from? It seems that the practice of brain lobotomy gave shape and meaning to this. A kind of "magic", as some called, which "cured" some psychological disorders.

If you want to know more details about the practice, in this Psychology-online article, we tell you What is lobotomy and what is it for. In addition, we will also talk about its consequences and when brain wolf was prohibited.

1. What is lobotomy
2. Lobotomy History
3. What is the lobotomy for
4. CONSEQUENCES OF LOBOTOMY
5. When the lobotomy was prohibited

What is lobotomy

Prefrontal leukotomy or lobotomy is a surgical procedure whereby nerve fibers are sectioned from the frontal region of the brain, disconnecting the frontal cortex of the rest of the brain. This practice was carried out in the twentieth century, when psychiatrists introduced a large needle into the brain in order to modify it. The objective of this procedure, known as lobotomy, was change disruptive behaviors or that generated discomfort in patients in an operation.

Thus, lobotomy consists in drilling the skull and introducing special instruments to section the nerve fibers of the frontal lobe. But, ¿What happens if they make you a lobotomy? The hypothesis that this procedure supports is that modulate behavior and the emotions In superior humans and primates, as well as pathologies such as depression, generalized anxiety, psychosis and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Lobotomy History

In 1946, Walter FreemanPROMOVAVIED THE Transorbital lobotomy, O Lobotomy of Picahielo, in which an orbitoclast was introduced through the internal limb of the eye and, with a metal mallet, the nerve connections of the frontal lobe of the brain were cut, transforming the lobotomy into an outpatient and rapid practice.

Initially, the technique was implemented exclusively In patients with severe schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder (TOC) Intratable or severe depression. However, later, Freeman practiced this technique to all kinds of patients, including people without psychological diseases who simply had a threatening look.

Freeman was traveling throughout the United States by making wolf to patients with psychiatric disorders until the 50s, when this method ceased to be used by the appearance of new techniques such as chlorpromazine. The famous doctor, despite his loss of license for the death of one of his patients while practicing a lobotomy, continued to exercise his profession and using this method until the 70s.

There were some cases of experimental lobotomies in Portugal and the United States before the war, but it was only since 1945 that the practice took all its breadth. Disappeared in the 50s With the arrival of the first neuroleptic (1952) and the antidepressants (1955). In this article, we show you the different types of antidepressants and what they are for.

What is the lobotomy for

There are no precise therapeutic indications of the wolf. The objective was to disembark the hospitals of the "ungovernable" patients. It was necessary to find the means of forwarding them to their homes and "stabilize them" to "reintegrate them".

It should be said that prefrontal lobotomy were performed without anesthesia, but it was performed after an electrocho that had anesthetic effect, which presented the advantage of being able to do it without the need for operating rooms. In addition, this operation calmed patients more difficult, This being the only criterion with which the efficacy of brain wolf was judged.

CONSEQUENCES OF LOBOTOMY

In 1949, the prestigious Portuguese neurosurgeon, Egas Moniz, received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for its discovery of the therapeutic value of prefrontal lobotomy in certain psychosis. Even so, the devastating consequences that wolf had for patients later was demonstrated.

At first they appeared stupor symptoms, confusional state, and even urinary problems such as incontinence and Alterations of eating behavior. In addition, many patients seemed to behave like children after a few days, something that, according to Freeman, was a passenger.

What caught more attention to the patient's social environment was personality change in which it was involved. Being reduced decision -making capacity, Planning, working memory and attention, among other important psychological processes. An inhibition of pleasant stimuli appeared and the capacity for empathy could be affected.

Not being sufficient all these side effects of lobotomies, some patients began to suffer seizures After being intervened. In fact, many of them die for this type of intervention.

When the lobotomy was prohibited

Actually, prefrontal lobotomy disappeared with the introduction of chlorpromazine In the 50s, A specific drug for the treatment of psychosis, when the long -awaited chimera was achieved to treat psychiatric diseases with medication.

Chlorpromazine allows satisfactorily controlling the aggressive symptoms of numerous pathological entities in the field of neuropsychiatry, as opposed to the ethical dilemma and the side effects of the lobotomy. Through its use, psychocirugia disappeared as a discipline.

This article is merely informative, in psychology-online we have no power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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