Functional Neurosurgery
- key words: pallidotomy, thalamotomy, lobectomy, lobotomy, deep brain stimulation, sympathectomy
- a subspecialty within neurosurgery
- treats diseases by altering, through stimulation (electrical currents), augmentation (transplants), or ablation (destruction) of specific locations in the central nervous system, their functional (behavioral) output.
Examples:
| Condition | Anatomic location (part) of brain or spine | Functional manifestation | Neurosurgical procedure * |
| PARKINSON'S | globus pallidus (basal ganglia) | slow, jerking movement | pallidotomy |
| HUNTINGTON'S | caudate nucleus (basal ganglia) | writhing, dancing movement | transplantation to caudate (future?) |
| PAIN | dorsal spinal cord, thalamus | emotional and stress responses | spinal cord stimulation |
| TREMOR | thalamus | involuntary tremor of extremities | thalamotomy |
| OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE | cingulate gyrus (frontal lobe) | compulsive hand washing, stealing, etc. | cingulotomy |
| HOMOSEXUALITY | hypothalamus ? | minority sexual preference | hypothalmotomy ? |
* NOT an exhaustive list of possible neurosurgical procedures for this disease and functional abnormality.
- ethical issues include privacy, patient self-determination, social engineering (see table above)