Leukotomy

Zafonte, Ross; Kurowski, Brad

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_42

Ross Zafonte⁴ &
Brad Kurowski⁵

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Synonyms

Frontal lobotomy; Leucotomy; Prefrontal lobotomy

Definition

Leukotomy refers to a procedure that involves the interruption of nerve tracts to and from the frontal lobe. It was first introduced in the 1930s by a Portuguese neurologist, Egas Moniz. His original surgery attempted to destroy the fiber tracts connecting the frontal lobe with the rest of the brain via the injection of alcohol. In 1936, he outlined the procedure for the standard “leucotomy.” This procedure was further refined by future neurologists and neurosurgeons and used in the treatment of a number of psychiatric disorders. The procedure led to marked cognitive and personality changes and eventually fell out of favor although more innovative psychosurgical procedures are being considered.

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Frontal Lobotomy

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References and Readings

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Authors and Affiliations

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
Ross Zafonte
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Brad Kurowski

Authors

Ross Zafonte
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Brad Kurowski
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Correspondence to Ross Zafonte .

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Editors and Affiliations

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
Jeffrey S. Kreutzer
Kessler Foundation, Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ, USA
John DeLuca
Independent Practice, Wynnewood, PA, USA
Bruce Caplan

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Zafonte, R., Kurowski, B. (2018). Leukotomy. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_42

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_42
Published: 20 September 2018
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-57110-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-57111-9
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