PREFRONTAL LEUKOTOMY: A FIVE-YEAR CONTROLLED STUDY

One hundred and eighty-three patients who had received prefrontal leukotomy over a period of several years were compared with a closely similar group who had not undergone the operation. No significant differences in rate of hospital discharge after a five-year follow-up period were found between the two groups. The groups showed no consistent difference in outcome in relation to diagnosis, chronicity vs. intermittency of illness, heredity, education, family attitude, premorbid adjustment, or degree of insight on the part of the patients. It is concluded that prefrontal leukotomy does not produce any rate of remission significantly beyond that to be expected without the operation.