History and impact of lobotomy procedures

Lobotomies were a controversial neurosurgical procedure popular between the 1930s and 1950s. The surgery involved severing the connection between the prefrontal cortex—the area of the brain responsible for higher-order functions like decision-making and planning—and the rest of the brain.

Originally intended to alleviate symptoms of severe psychopathologies such as schizophrenia, epilepsy, and depression, the procedure often resulted in permanent negative changes to the cognitive abilities of tens of thousands of people across Europe and the United States. The eventual decline of lobotomies was driven by these adverse effects and a shift toward the use of antipsychotic medications.