Therapy: Psychosurgery

• What is one of the first psychosurgery procedures?

  Prefrontal leucotomy
• Who discovered the prefrontal leucotomy?

  Egas Moniz
• What instrument is used in a prefrontal leucotomy?

  Leucotome
• How is the leucotome used during the prefrontal leucotomy?

  It cuts connections between frontal lobes and brain
• What is the method of the transorbital lobotomy?

  Access through the eyes
• How long would a patient be unconscious during a transorbital lobotomy?

  5 to 10 minutes
• What tool is used in a transorbital lobotomy?

  Ice pick
• Why is the eye socket used in transorbital lobotomy?

  It is the thinnest part of the skull
• What does a cingulotomy involve?

  Making an incision in brain nerves
• What technology is used to guide a cingulotomy?

  Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
• What condition is a cingulotomy used to treat?

  Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• What is manipulated during a cingulotomy?

  Nerves in the brain
• How does stereotactic surgery differ from cingulotomy?

  Uses a computer-driven guidance system
• What is used to destroy tissue in stereotactic surgery?

  Gamma rays
• How is the patient's head held during stereotactic surgery?

  In a pain-free clamp
• What is the main assumption of the biological approach?

  Psychological behavior results from physical processes
• What model does the biological approach follow?

  The medical model
• What does the biological approach assume about abnormal behavior?

  It is due to faulty brain areas
• What is the aim of psychosurgery?

  To treat damaged areas of the brain
• What are the steps in the psychosurgery process?

  1. Individual seeks help from a medical professional
  2. Medical professional diagnoses the mental illness
  3. Decision on appropriate type of surgery is made
  4. Individual is admitted to hospital for surgery
  5. Responsible adult takes individual home post-surgery
  6. Individual returns for a check-up
  7. Behavior is monitored for surgery success
• What was the success rate of cingulotomy for OCD according to Cosgrove and Rauch (2001)?

  56% success rate
• What was the success rate of capsulotomy for OCD according to Cosgrove and Rauch (2001)?

  6.7% success rate
• How have advances in technology affected psychosurgery?

  Made it more effective over time
• What is a significant risk of early psychosurgery methods?

  Permanent changes to memory and emotions
• What is required for ethical psychosurgery today?

  Valid informed consent
• What does the Mental Health Act require for psychosurgery?

  Informed consent must be given
• What is the ethical consideration regarding psychosurgery and alternative treatments?

  Not used if ethical alternatives exist
• What is a potential consequence of psychosurgery?

  Worse side effects than original illness
• What is the ethical implication of irreversible effects of psychosurgery?

  It raises concerns about patient harm
• What is the significance of informed consent in psychosurgery?

  It ensures patient autonomy and understanding
• How does psychosurgery today differ from early methods?

  It is guided by advanced technology
• What is the role of the responsible adult in the psychosurgery process?

  To care for the individual post-surgery
• What is the purpose of monitoring behavior after psychosurgery?

  To assess the success of the surgery