prefrontal leukotomy
- noun
- /ˌpriːˈfrʌntəl luˈkɒtəmi/
- Archaic
:
leucotomía prefrontal
- He suffered lasting personality changes following a prefrontal leukotomy in the 1950s.
Examples
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The controversial practice of prefrontal leukotomy was widely abandoned after the development of psychiatric medications.
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Medical historians discuss prefrontal leukotomy as an example of early neurosurgical treatment for mental illness.
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The prefrontal leukotomy was once a common treatment for severe depression.
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Many patients experienced drastic changes after a prefrontal leukotomy.
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Many patients experienced significant cognitive and personality changes after a prefrontal leukotomy performed in the mid-20th century.
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The prefrontal leukotomy was used to treat patients with severe mental disorders, but often led to unexpected outcomes.
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After undergoing a prefrontal leukotomy, he struggled with changes in behavior that greatly affected his daily life.
Synonyms
26
9.9
An operation that cuts nerves in the front brain to treat mental illness, often changing personality and thinking
1
9.9
An operation that cuts connections in the front part of the brain and often changes thinking and personality
1
9.9
A surgery that cuts connections in the front of the brain through the eye socket
1
9.9
Surgery that cuts connections in the front of the brain, once used to treat mental illness but often changes personality
1
9.9
A surgery that cuts the connections from the brain's frontal lobe, often causing big changes in personality and thinking
1
9.6
An operation on the brain to treat very serious mental problems when other treatments fail
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derived from the constituents: 'prefrontal' (front part of the brain) combined with 'leukotomy' (surgical alteration/severing of brain connections) yields surgery on the prefrontal area. This is a literal, compositional medical compound rather than an idiom, so a learner who knows both parts can infer the overall meaning.
Etymology
The term prefrontal leukotomy comes from the literal image of cutting connections at the front of the brain: prefrontal means the front part of the brain and leukotomy refers to making cuts in those nerve connections. Doctors did this operation to try to 'treat mental illness', but because it cut important nerve links it often changed a person's thinking and personality.