The effects on personality of open prefrontal leucotomy

The Sixteen Personality Factor Test was administered to 28 patients both before and six months after they received open prefrontal leucotomies. The preoperative and postoperative test results are compared. Preoperatively the group was excessively apprehensive, tense, affected by feelings, sober, shy, and humble. After leucotomy these aspects of personality all showed significant change in the direction of normality. With the exception of the humble versus assertive aspect, however, the mean scores in each case remained outside the normal range.