Psychosurgery, deep brain stimulation and sugery for psychiatric ilnesses: The risk of neurodeterminism

Abstract

Psychosurgery is, in neurosurgery, a relatively new form of facing psychiatric illness. From the long ago abandoned techniques of Moniz to the modern era or deep brain stimulation, not only technology has evolved, but also has done so the philosophical concepts behind surgery for psychiatric illness. Deep brain stimulation avoids the risks of ablative procedures while gradually surgery for mental diseases with cognitive components has been abandoned in favor of affective or motor disorders. Nevertheless several issues remain unanswered. Where does the person sit: in his/her brain or in his/her whole body? What does define the person, its rational and mental behavior or his dual nature of body and spirit? When brain death supervenes, the person is really dead? All of these issues in the middle of a positivist and materialist way of thinking have reduced the concept of human being to brain function. Psychosurgery, with its risk of changing personality and behavior, challenges the concept of brain-mind dilemma and makes us rethink if, as Descartes said five centuries ago, the soul sits in the pineal gland.