Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is a Lobotomy?Are They Done Today?Uses of LobotomyEffectsPreferred Treatment Today
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is a Lobotomy?
Are They Done Today?
Uses of Lobotomy
Effects
Preferred Treatment Today
A lobotomy is a type of brain surgery that involves the removal or cutting of a portion of the brain, usually for the purpose of treating a mental health condition. This medical procedure was never a common type of treatment, and it was primarily used between the 1940s and the 1960s.
Lobotomies were sometimes safe and effective for treating psychiatric disorders but often caused substantial adverse effects, including significant changes in personality and loss of independence.
Lobotomy is no longer used in the United States to treat mental health conditions. Many safe and effective therapies can treat mental health disorders, including medication, psychotherapy, and minimally invasive surgical interventions, such as the use of electrical stimulation to help alleviate symptoms of mental health conditions.
YakobchukOlena / Getty Images
What Is a Lobotomy Exactly?
“Lobotomy” is defined as the removal of one or more of the lobes of the brain, but the term has been used to describe transection (cutting) regions of the brain for the treatment of psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia or major depressive disorder.
When lobotomy was used to treat psychiatric disorders, the procedure involved the removal or transection of part of the frontal lobe of the brain, which is the part of the brain that controls personality and behavior.
Lobotomy is a major brain surgery that requires access to the brain tissue through either a burr hole (a hole that is drilled into the skull) or craniotomy, which is cutting or lifting away part of the skull to obtain access to the brain tissue. A lobotomy is a high-risk surgical procedure that can be life-threatening.
When these procedures were done, people who survived a lobotomy could potentially experience fewer psychiatric symptoms, such as delusions (irrational beliefs that are not true) as a result of the surgery. But side effects included significant personality changes and diminished ability to control their behavior and actions.
Symptoms and Treatment for Frontal Lobe Damage
Are Lobotomies Still Performed Today?
As effective antipsychotic medications emerged and the dangers of lobotomy raised ethical concerns, the procedure became less common. Lobotomy, as it existed, is not accepted as a treatment in the United States today.
Many neurosurgical procedures involve the removal or resection of brain tissue, but these are done very differently than psychiatric lobotomy. For example, resection oftumorsand cancer from the brain is a lifesaving surgery.
Some types of brain surgery totreat epilepsyormovement disordersinvolve the removal or resection of brain tissue to stop seizures or movement disorder symptoms from occurring.
A Word From VerywellThe fact that we no longer perform frontal lobotomies and the immense specificity of current psychosurgical procedures is telling of how incredibly intricate the brain is and how vital its functional connections are.—NICHOLAS R. METRUS, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
The fact that we no longer perform frontal lobotomies and the immense specificity of current psychosurgical procedures is telling of how incredibly intricate the brain is and how vital its functional connections are.—NICHOLAS R. METRUS, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
The fact that we no longer perform frontal lobotomies and the immense specificity of current psychosurgical procedures is telling of how incredibly intricate the brain is and how vital its functional connections are.
—NICHOLAS R. METRUS, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Frontal Lobotomy and Medical Ethics
Why Were Lobotomies Performed?
Lobotomy was performed to reduce symptoms of mental health conditions, primarily schizophrenia and major depressive disorder.The procedure decreases some of the nerve communication in the frontal lobe of the brain, which can prevent the behaviors that result from these mental health disorders.
According to the medical documents, some people who survived a lobotomy experienced an improvement in psychiatric symptoms.However, these people did not experience a healthy quality of life or maintain independent self-care. Medical records also indicate that these procedures were dangerous and that many people did not survive.
What Lobotomies Do to People?
Lobotomy changes the way people function, often leading to diminished awareness and interactions. People who underwent lobotomy were found to have reduced cognitive (thinking, problem-solving, and reasoning) abilities, as well as impaired emotional responses.
As with any type of brain surgery, there is a risk of edema (brain swelling), infection, bleeding, unintentional damage to the brain, disability, or death.
Today, lobotomy is not considered an ethical intervention. However, decades ago, it was seen as a potential solution for people with severe mental illness.
It even was considered to be a medical advancement and a more humane treatment than earlier ways of coping with mental illness—which had included approaches such as placing people in isolation.
Can a Person Survive After Lobotomy?The answer to whether a person can survive a lobotomy is maybe. In the past, some people survived after lobotomy, but many died due to complications.Brain surgery often relies on monitoring that can help pinpoint areas of the brain that need to be removed or transected.This type of monitoring can help locate areas of the brain that are involved in crucial functions, such as language and mobility, to reduce the risk of adverse effects.
Can a Person Survive After Lobotomy?
The answer to whether a person can survive a lobotomy is maybe. In the past, some people survived after lobotomy, but many died due to complications.Brain surgery often relies on monitoring that can help pinpoint areas of the brain that need to be removed or transected.This type of monitoring can help locate areas of the brain that are involved in crucial functions, such as language and mobility, to reduce the risk of adverse effects.
The answer to whether a person can survive a lobotomy is maybe. In the past, some people survived after lobotomy, but many died due to complications.
Brain surgery often relies on monitoring that can help pinpoint areas of the brain that need to be removed or transected.This type of monitoring can help locate areas of the brain that are involved in crucial functions, such as language and mobility, to reduce the risk of adverse effects.
Medical Treatments Preferred Over Lobotomies Today
Psychiatric care for mental health conditions has improved substantially over the past 100 years. Advances in psychiatric treatments have yielded many treatment alternatives that are far safer and more effective than lobotomy. Psychosurgeries are rarely used today.
Common treatments for psychiatric disorders include:
Psychosurgeries Used Today
With advancements in psychotropic medications, psychosurgeries are rarely performed. Surgery can be an option in very specific situations, and usually only after less invasive therapies have not been sufficiently effective.
Psychosurgical procedures include:
These procedures require extensive presurgical testing to help pinpoint the location and to avoid adverse effects.
The Anatomy of the Brain
Summary
Lobotomy is an outdated procedure that was used in the past for the treatment of psychiatric conditions. While lobotomy is no longer considered safe, the initial introduction of this surgery followed medical protocols of the time.
With advancements and pharmaceutical management and other forms of treatment, lobotomy is no longer used in the United States to manage psychiatric disorders. It is dangerous and can cause substantial impairment of an individual’s personality and ability to take care of themselves.
Other medical treatments can help reduce the symptoms of psychiatric disorders. These include medication,cognitive behavioral therapy, counseling, and surgically implanted devices to control symptoms. Psychiatric care nowadays relies on diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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