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Talk7 min

One of the most controversial medical procedures in history

Jenell Johnson · TED

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About

In 1935, researchers found that after removing the frontal lobes of two chimps, they no longer experienced frustration or anxiety. Neurologist Egas Moniz believed that replicating this in humans could cure mental illness— leading to one of the most controversial and destructive medical treatments of the 20th century: the lobotomy. Jenell Johnson uncovers the history of the procedure. [Directed by Anton Bogaty, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Cem Misirlioglu, Greg Chudzik].

The talk

  1. One of the most controversial medical procedures in history 7 min · TED's player

Credits and licence

Institution
TED
Department
TED-Ed
Speaker
Jenell Johnson
Year
2025
Level
For everyone
Language
English
Subjects
Medicine and health, Psychology and the brain, History, Teaching and learning
Source
TED
Licence
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, as TED states it. Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions. TED's terms
Attribution
TED Talks are licensed by TED under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 International and are shown here in TED's own player, as TED's usage policy asks.
Who can watch
TED gives no rating. Invisible Network shows it to Teens profiles and older, judged from what the source says about it. How courses are placed