Psychosurgery: meaning, definitions and examples
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psychosurgery
[ ˌsaɪkoʊˈsɜːrdʒəri ]
medical procedure
Psychosurgery refers to surgical interventions aimed at altering brain function to treat psychiatric disorders. This typically involves techniques that may remove, destroy, or alter brain tissue in specific areas linked to mental illness. It is considered a last resort treatment when other therapies have failed.
Synonyms
brain surgery, neurosurgery
Examples of usage
- Psychosurgery has been used in cases of severe depression.
- The doctor recommended psychosurgery after traditional therapies were ineffective.
- In the 20th century, psychosurgery gained popularity for treating various mental health issues.
Translations
Translations of the word "psychosurgery" in other languages:
🇵🇹 psicocirurgia
🇮🇳 मनोचिकित्सा शल्यक्रिया
🇩🇪 Psychosurgery
🇮🇩 psikokhirurgi
🇺🇦 психохірургія
🇵🇱 psychosurgia
🇯🇵 精神外科手術
🇫🇷 psychosurgie
🇪🇸 psicocirugía
🇹🇷 psikocerrahi
🇰🇷 정신외과수술
🇸🇦 الجراحة النفسية
🇨🇿 psychosurgie
🇸🇰 psychosurgia
🇨🇳 心理外科手术
🇸🇮 psihokirurgija
🇮🇸 sálfræðiskurðlækningar
🇰🇿 психохирургия
🇬🇪 ფსიქოქირურგია
🇦🇿 psixokirurgiya
🇲🇽 psicocirugía
Etymology
The term 'psychosurgery' emerged in the early 20th century as a way to describe surgical procedures aimed at treating mental illness. The practice gained traction in the 1930s and 1940s, particularly with the introduction of lobotomy, a highly controversial procedure that involved severing connections in the brain's prefrontal cortex. Initially hailed as a breakthrough for mental health treatment, lobotomy and other psychosurgical methods faced significant criticism for their ethical implications and the often severe side effects experienced by patients. Over the decades, advances in psychiatric medication and therapy led to a decline in psychosurgery practices. However, the term persists in medical terminology to encompass various surgical interventions intended for psychiatric treatment, emphasizing the complex interplay between neurology and mental health.