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Lobotomy: meaning, definitions and examples

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lobotomy

 

[ lษ™หˆbษ’tษ™mi ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

medical procedure

Lobotomy is a neurosurgical procedure that involves severing connections in the brain's prefrontal cortex. Historically, it was used to treat various mental illnesses, particularly in the mid-20th century. The procedure had significant and often severe side effects, leading to loss of cognitive abilities, alterations in personality, and other neurological impairments. Due to these drastic consequences and the development of more effective psychiatric treatments, lobotomy has largely fallen out of favor and is considered controversial today.

Synonyms

neurosurgery, psychosurgery

Examples of usage

  • He underwent a lobotomy to alleviate his severe depression.
  • The use of lobotomy in psychiatry raised ethical concerns among professionals.
  • Many patients experienced dire consequences after receiving a lobotomy.

Translations

Translations of the word "lobotomy" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น lobotomia

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคฒเฅ‰เคฌเฅ‹เคŸเคฎเฅ€

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Lobotomie

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ lobotomi

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะปะพะฑะพั‚ะพะผั–ั

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ lobotomia

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใƒญใƒœใƒˆใƒŸใƒผ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท lobotomie

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ lobotomรญa

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท lobotomi

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋กœ๋ณดํ† ๋ฏธ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุงู„ู„ูˆุจูŠotomy

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ lobotomie

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ lobotรณmia

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ่„‘ๅถๅˆ‡้™คๆœฏ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ lobotomija

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ lobotomรญa

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะปะพะฑะพั‚ะพะผะธั

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒšแƒแƒ‘แƒแƒขแƒแƒ›แƒ˜แƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ lobotomiya

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ lobotomรญa

Etymology

The term 'lobotomy' is derived from the Greek words 'lobos' (meaning 'lobe') and 'tome' (meaning 'to cut'). The procedure was first introduced in the late 19th century by neurologist Gottlieb Burckhardt but gained widespread attention through the work of Portuguese neurologist Egas Moniz in the 1930s. Moniz was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1949 for his development of the procedure, which he believed could relieve severe psychiatric conditions. During the 1940s and 1950s, lobotomy was widely used in the United States and other countries, often as a last resort for patients who had not responded to other treatments. However, the practice quickly drew criticism due to the damaging effects it had on patients' cognitive and emotional functioning. As more effective psychiatric medications and therapies were developed, the use of lobotomy declined sharply, leading to its near abandonment in modern psychiatric practices.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #33,843 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.