Describe main components of psychosurgery (10)

• Para 1: prefrontal lobotomy

  Psychosurgery is a biological treatment based on the principle that mental disorders have a physical cause in the brain. One key component is the prefrontal lobotomy, developed by Egas Moniz in the 1930s. This invasive procedure involved severing nerve pathways in the frontal lobe, which is responsible for regulating mood and impulse control. Moniz initially used a leucotome to destroy white matter, aiming to alleviate severe symptoms of depression, OCD and, less successfully, schizophrenia by interrupting thought processes causing distress.
• Para 2: stereotactic psychosurgery

  A more modern form of this is stereotactic psychosurgery, which uses brain-imaging techniques such as MRI to target precise areas of the brain, reducing damage to surrounding tissue. For example, in treating OCD, a bilateral cingulotomy interrupts a hyperactive circuit between the orbitofrontal cortex and thalamus. Alternatively, in a capsulotomy, probes are inserted to burn specific tissue in the internal capsule. These techniques allow for more accurate and ethical intervention than earlier lobotomies.
• Para 3: DBS

  Another component is Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), a less invasive and reversible procedure. This involves implanting electrodes into the brain connected to a pulse generator in the chest. The high-frequency current can be adjusted to disrupt faulty neural circuits linked to disorders like OCD without destroying tissue. DBS represents a more ethical, flexible option within psychosurgical treatments and reflects advances in neuroscience and medical technology.