From the 1930s to the 1950s a radical surgery – the Lobotomy – would forever change our understanding and treatment of the mentally ill.

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Lobotomy: A Dangerous Fad's Lingering Effect on Mental Illness Treatment

For centuries scientists have studied the brain and still our understanding, particularly when it comes to the treatment for those suffering with severe, often untreatable mental illness, remains elusive. As scientists around the world are beginning ambitious programs to study the human brain in unprecedented ways, Retro Report explores the evolution of the surgical and biological treatments over the decades. From the brutal, but once considered mainstream treatment of lobotomy to biological cocktails, to the beginnings of what many hope will be a more elegant understanding of the brain through technology.

Related:
The Quest for a Psychiatric Cure by Clyde Haberman

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Producer Barbara Dury delves into the sad history of the lobotomy with The Takeaway
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The Quest for a Psychiatric CureThe New York Times