A Forgotten Chapter of French Psychosurgery: Lobotomy Practices in Brittany
Objective:
To describe and analyze the practice of lobotomy in Brittany, especially regarding its psychiatric indications, after 1939 (first documented lobotomy procedure in France)
Background:
While the history of psychosurgery and lobotomy is well documented in the United States, this is not the case in France. A previous study (Terrier et al., World Neurosurg. 2019 Dec;132:211–218), considered the first French-language review on the subject, analyzed cases of lobotomies performed in France, Switzerland, and Belgium between 1935 and 1985. However, to our knowledge, no study has yet been conducted in Brittany.
Design/Methods:
A literature search for French articles and medical thesis related to cases of lobotomy performed in Brittany was undertaken, using various databases such as Calames, BnF Gallica Archives, JStor, Internet Archive, Sudoc and Google Scholar.
Results:
Lobotomy was performed in Brittany from the 1940s onwards, in several psychiatric centers, and on cohorts exceeding a hundred patients (i.e. Rennes, Bégard, Dinan/Saint-Brieuc). Two medical theses analyzed in the 1960’s the long-term outcomes of the patients. In Rennes, several (neuro)surgeons were involved in these practices.
Conclusions:
The introduction and widespread use of neuroleptics led to the decline and eventual disappearance of this psychosurgical practice.
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