1. a surgical operation involving incision into the prefrontal lobe of the brain, formerly used to treat mental illness
Usage: medical; historical

Examples

• The lobotomy was once considered a treatment for severe mental disorders.
• Lobotomies were performed frequently in the 1940s and 1950s.
• The procedure involved cutting connections in the brain’s prefrontal cortex.
• Many patients who underwent lobotomy experienced significant personality changes.
• The practice of lobotomy has been largely abandoned due to ethical concerns.
• Modern psychiatry has replaced lobotomy with safer treatment options.