A lobotomy is a discredited neurosurgical procedure historically used to treat psychiatric disorders by severing connections in the brain's prefrontal cortex. Before lobotomy, patients typically exhibited severe psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety, agitation, aggression, catatonia, or depression, often rendering them difficult to manage. After lobotomy, the changes varied widely but commonly included reduced agitation, a calmer demeanor, and diminished emotional intensity. However, the procedure also resulted in significant side effects such as stupor, incontinence, seizures, increased appetite and weight gain, emotional blunting, reduced initiative, impaired intellectual capacities, and in some cases, devastating complications such as brain damage or death. Some cases showed modest improvement in symptoms, while others resulted in severe disability or "surgically induced childhood" as described by practitioners. There are notable before-and-after photographic records of patients demonstrating these physical and emotional changes. Some patients appeared more manageable and less agitated after the lobotomy, but often at the cost of their personality, spontaneity, and self-awareness. The experience and outcomes were highly variable, with some patients able to return to functional lives to an extent, while others were left severely impaired.
One tragic high-profile case showing dramatic before-and-after effects is Rosemary Kennedy, who was left incapacitated after her lobotomy.
