Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Brain surgery used to treat severe, intractable mental or behavioral disorders.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun surgery Surgery of the brain to treat or alleviate mental illness.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun brain surgery on human patients intended to relieve severe and otherwise intractable mental or behavioral problems

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From psycho- +‎ surgery.

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Examples

  • In contrast to other mental health professionals who advocate psychotherapy for emotional distress and mental disorders, psychiatrists may advocate psychiatric drugs or more controversial interventions such as electroshock or lobotomy (presently called psychosurgery within psychiatry).

    Psychology Wiki - Recent changes [en] 2010

  • As a follow up to our previous post on the history of the now discarded practice of lobotomy, there's been quite a bit of recent interest in the science and ethics of modern-day brain surgery in treating mental illness, a practice often known as 'psychosurgery'.

    Mind Hacks: Modern-day psychosurgery 2005

  • As a follow up to our previous post on the history of the now discarded practice of lobotomy, there's been quite a bit of recent interest in the science and ethics of modern-day brain surgery in treating mental illness, a practice often known as 'psychosurgery'.

    Mind Hacks: November 2005 Archives 2005

  • The Special Rapporteur names forced psychiatric interventions (such as psychosurgery, electroshock and administration of mind-altering drugs including neuroleptics) among practices that may constitute torture or ill treatment.

    Charlottesville Blogs 2008

  • The Special Rapporteur names forced psychiatric interventions (such as psychosurgery, electroshock and administration of mind-altering drugs including neuroleptics) among practices that may constitute torture or ill treatment.

    Charlottesville Blogs 2008

  • The Special Rapporteur names forced psychiatric interventions (such as psychosurgery, electroshock and administration of mind-altering drugs including neuroleptics) among practices that may constitute torture or ill treatment.

    Charlottesville Blogs 2008

  • The Special Rapporteur names forced psychiatric interventions (such as psychosurgery, electroshock and administration of mind-altering drugs including neuroleptics) among practices that may constitute torture or ill treatment.

    Charlottesville Blogs 2008

  • The Special Rapporteur names forced psychiatric interventions (such as psychosurgery, electroshock and administration of mind-altering drugs including neuroleptics) among practices that may constitute torture or ill treatment.

    Charlottesville Blogs 2008

  • The Special Rapporteur names forced psychiatric interventions (such as psychosurgery, electroshock and administration of mind-altering drugs including neuroleptics) among practices that may constitute torture or ill treatment.

    Charlottesville Blogs 2008

  • Szasz, for example, refused to support and even criticized my successful campaign to stop the return of lobotomy and psychosurgery in the 1970s.

    Dr. Peter Breggin: Empathic Therapy: An Emerging Field Dr. Peter Breggin 2011

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