Brain Stimulation & Psychosurgery

Electroconvulsive therapy1938 – 100volts, awakeToday – Anesthesia mmm

and muscle relaxerHow does it work?

Brain StimulationElectroconvulsive Therapy

Brain StimulationElectroconvulsive Therapy

80% success rate for treatment of severe depressionMemory loss (possible)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ct90t_iF6Q 2:00min – 8:00min (6:00min)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8K37POBojs (2:55min total)

Magnetic StimulationRepetitive transcranial magnetic

stimulations (rTMS)

Brain StimulationAlternative Neurostimulation Therapies

AwakeMagnetic field only penetrates to the

brain’s surfaceStimulate or dampen particular areas of brainLeft frontal lobe = depressed patients

No seizures, no memory loss

Brain StimulationAlternative Neurostimulation Therapies

PsychosurgeryRemove or destroy brain tissue

LobotomyCutting main neurons to the frontal lobe= mental vegetable“Discovered” 1930s – performed widely until 1950s when

antipsychotics were introducedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0aNILW6ILk (5:11min total)

Psychosurgery