2018 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting-707. Why Did Psychosurgery Fail the First Time Around?

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video, the speaker discusses the history of psychosurgery, specifically frontal lobotomy and its rise and fall in popularity. The speaker argues that psychosurgery went through four phases: introduction, search for better operations, condemnation, and renaissance. The speaker attributes the decline of psychosurgery to a complex set of social, political, and scientific dynamics. They mention that psychosurgery was hailed as a cure for psychiatric diseases and was publicized by the press. However, as more cases were performed, the statistical risks and adverse effects became apparent. The introduction of chlorpromazine, a psychotropic drug, also contributed to the decline of psychosurgery. Additionally, the speaker discusses the influence of social apprehensions, such as fears of mind control and political indoctrination through psychosurgery. They conclude by stating that studying the history of psychosurgery can provide valuable lessons for the future of medicine. The video is not attributed to any specific source or speaker.

Asset Caption

T Forcht Dagi, MD, MPH, MBA, DMedSc, FAANS

Keywords

psychosurgery

history

frontal lobotomy

rise and fall

popularity