Psychosurgery

Psychosurgery refers to surgical procedures that alter the brain to alleviate psychiatric disorders. Historically, the most common procedure was lobotomy, which involved severing connections in the brain's prefrontal cortex. Other psychosurgical techniques have included cingulotomy and anterior capsulotomy.

The development of psychosurgery began in the late 1930s. Early procedures were often crude and carried significant risks, including personality changes, cognitive deficits, and even death. Despite these drawbacks, psychosurgery was widely used for several decades to treat conditions such as schizophrenia, severe depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, particularly when other treatments proved ineffective.

In the mid-20th century, the advent of new psychiatric medications, such as antipsychotics and antidepressants, led to a decline in the use of psychosurgery. Concerns about the ethical implications and the irreversibility of the procedures also contributed to this decline.

In recent decades, psychosurgery has seen a resurgence, albeit with more refined techniques and a more limited scope. Modern psychosurgery is typically reserved for individuals with severe, treatment-resistant mental illnesses who have exhausted all other therapeutic options. Procedures are now highly targeted, often guided by advanced imaging techniques, aiming to disrupt specific neural circuits believed to be involved in the disorder. The ethical considerations and patient selection remain critical aspects of contemporary psychosurgery.