walter freeman - case study 2

Question 1

years of freemans experiments

Answer 1

1930 -1960

Question 2

who was walter freeman?

Answer 2

an american neurologist in the early 1900’s

Question 3

what did walter freeman aim to do?

Answer 3

to find a surgical solution for various mental disorders such as depression and schizophrenia

he thought he could alleviate patients suffering and improve their emotional and behavioural regulation by performing a prefrontal lobotomy

Question 4

what was the ‘ice pick method’ walter freeman developed?

Answer 4

inserting a sharp instrument resembling and ice pick, through the eye socket into the brain where it was moved back and forth to server the connections

this was done with no anesthesia and not in a sterile environment. Eventually Freeman did 2 at a time (1 with each hand) for efficiency)

Question 5

what were the long term side effects of the ice pick lobotomy?

Answer 5

cognitive impairments, personality changes, diminished emotional responses.