Contemporary psychosurgery and a look to the future
R P Feldman1, R L Alterman, J T Goodrich
1Department of Neurological Surgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA. rpfeld@home.com
Journal of Neurosurgery
|January 5, 2002
Summary
Psychosurgery remains a modern treatment for severe psychiatric disorders. This review examines current psychosurgical techniques, their history, and future neurosurgical interventions for mental health.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Psychiatry
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Psychosurgery has a long and controversial history.
- It persists as a treatment for severe, medically intractable psychiatric disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current state of psychosurgery.
- To discuss modern psychosurgical procedures and their outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Review of definition, patient selection, and rationales for cingulotomy, subcaudate tractotomy, anterior capsulotomy, and limbic leukotomy.
- Examination of historical developments and modern procedures.
- Inclusion of recent neuroscience advances relevant to neurosurgical intervention.
Main Results:
- Discussion of four contemporary psychosurgical procedures: cingulotomy, subcaudate tractotomy, anterior capsulotomy, and limbic leukotomy.
- Review of historical context, modern techniques, and outcomes.
- Identification of potential future neurosurgical roles in psychiatric treatment.
Conclusions:
- Understanding contemporary psychosurgery is crucial for addressing ethical, social, and technical challenges.
- Advances in neuroscience may expand neurosurgical interventions for psychiatric conditions.
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