Lobotomy: A Dangerous Fad’s Lingering Effects on Mental Illness Treatment

April 16, 2017
(11 min.)
Has lesson plan

From the 1930s to the 1950s, a radical surgery – lobotomy – changed the understanding and treatment of people with mental illness.

Scientists have studied the brain for centuries, yet understanding remains elusive, particularly when it comes to treatments for people with severe mental illness. Solutions have included lobotomy, pharmaceuticals and, more recently, an understanding of the brain through technology. As scientists around the world advance the study of the human brain, this Retro Report video explores the evolution of medical treatments.

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Related:

The Quest for a Psychiatric Cure by Clyde Haberman

For teachers
  • Producer: Barbara Dury
  • Producer: Margaret M. Ebrahim
  • Editor: Sandrine Isambert
  • Associate Producer: Olivia Katrandjian
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For Educators

Subjects
Psychology Science 
Topics
1930s 1940s 1950s 2000s Health
Introduction

Scientists have studied the brain for centuries, yet understanding remains elusive, particularly when it comes to treatments for people with severe mental illness. Solutions have included lobotomy, pharmaceuticals and, more recently, an understanding of the brain through technology. As scientists around the world advance the study of the human brain, this lesson explores the ways humans have attempted to treat mental illness throughout history and the importance of protecting vulnerable people. 

Background reading
▼

In the 1930s, Dr. Walter Freeman became the leading spokesman for a new brain surgery that promised hope for the thousands of people with mental illness who were living in state hospitals and asylums across the country.

Dr. Freeman claimed that the new surgery, lobotomy, was relatively simple to perform and could provide relief for a range of mental disorders. At a time when there were few treatment options available for the mentally ill, the public and press were quick to embrace the lobotomy as a miracle cure.

But there was a darker side to the procedure, which often used a surgical tool modeled on an icepick to sever the frontal lobe from the rest of the brain. Many physicians – as well as psychoanalysts – were strongly opposed to the experimental operations, which were performed without the support of any randomized testing or consistent follow-ups that would have revealed that many patients were left worse off rather than better, with some disbled for life.

The development of antipsychotic drugs like Thorazine dampened the popularity of lobotomies. But Dr. Freeman persisted, performing them until he was forced to stop in 1967 after a patient died during her third surgery.

Today, as brain research continues on many fronts, Dr. Freeman’s example illustrates the wisdom of the adage “First, do no harm.”

Lesson Plan 1: Lobotomy – A Dangerous Fad’s Lingering Effects on Mental Illness
Lobotomy – A Dangerous Fad’s Lingering Effects on Mental Illness
Lobotomy – A Dangerous Fad’s Lingering Effects on Mental Illness
Overview
▼

Students will learn about the rise and decline of the prefrontal lobotomy as a treatment for a range of mental disorders, and its lasting impact on neurological psychiatric surgeries today.

Objectives
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Students will:

  • Research and describe various historical methods of psychiatric treatment including lobotomy. 
  • Review the anatomy of the cerebral cortex. 
  • Describe the likely effects of a lobotomy. 
  • Explain the importance of ethical guidelines in medical research. 
Essential questions
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  • How has the history of psychiatric care affected current viewpoints on the subject?
  • How has the search for new psychiatric treatments been influenced by public opinion? 
  • What responsibilities do researchers and scientists have toward the people participating in their studies?
Additional resources
▼
Standards
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College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies

  • D2.Psy.2.9-12. Investigate human behavior from biological, cognitive, behavioral, and sociocultural perspectives.
  • D2.Psy.4.9-12. Adhere to and consider the impact of American Psychological Association and federal guidelines for the ethical treatment of human and nonhuman research participants.
  • D2.Psy.9.9-12. Describe biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors that influence individuals’ cognition, perception, and behavior.
  • D2.Psy.13.9-12. Explain common themes across the field of psychological science, including ethical issues, diversity, developmental issues, and concerns about health and wellbeing.
  • D2.Psy.11.9-12. Identify the role psychological science can play in helping us understand differences in individual cognitive and physical abilities. 
  • D2.Psy.10.9-12. Explain the interaction of biology and experience (i.e., nature and nurture) and its influence on behavior. 

Common Core Literacy Standards

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.6: Analyze the author’s purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text, identifying important issues that remain unresolved.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.4 Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 11-12 texts and topics.
  • ​​CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.6: Analyze the author’s purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text, identifying important issues that remain unresolved.
  • CC.9-10.W.HST.2.d Text Types and Purposes: Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic and convey a style appropriate to the discipline and context as well as to the expertise of likely readers.

AP Psychology

  • Scientific Foundations of Psychology 
      • 1.N Identify how ethical issues inform and constrain research practices.
      • 1.O Describe how ethical and legal guidelines protect research participants and promote sound ethical practice.
      • 1.O.1 Those provided by the American Psychological Association
  • Biological Basis of Behavior 
      • 2.I.1 Describe the nervous system and its subdivisions and functions in the brain: Major Brain Regions
      • 2.K Recount historic and contemporary research strategies and technologies that support research.
  • Clinical Psychology
    • 8.P Summarize effectiveness of specific treatments used to address specific problems from a biological perspective.

National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula 

  • Scientific Inquiry & Research Methods 
  • Content Standard 3: Ethical issues in research with human and non-human animals
  • 3.1 Identify ethical requirements for research with human participants and non-human animals
  • 3.2 Explain why researchers need to adhere to an ethics review process
  • Biological Pillar
  • Content Standard 1: Structure and function of the nervous system and endocrine system in human and non-human animals
  • 1.3 Describe the structures and functions of the various parts of the central nervous system
      • Content Standard 3: Categories of psychoactive drugs and their effects
  • 3.2 Describe how psychoactive drugs work in the brain
  • 3.3 Describe the physiological and psychological effects of psychoactive drugs
  • Mental and Physical Health
  • Content Standard 1: Perspectives of abnormal behavior
  • 1.4 Explain how stigma relates to abnormal behavior
      • Content Standard 1: Types of treatment
  • 1.3 Describe appropriate treatments for different populations, including historical use and misuse of treatment