Psychological aspects of diencephalotomy

Abstract

Several aspects of intelligence and simple perception were evaluated on 25 Parkinson patients who had undergone diencephalotomy. Through a frontal burr hole unilateral lesions were made under local anesthesia primarily in the posterior ventral thalamus-subthalamic region. Impairment of verbal I. Q. [intelligence quotient] was delayed 11/2 to 2 years post-operatively. Perception tests revealed immediate post-operative impairment. Tests concerned with motor function also revealed immediate postoperative impairment but recovery was present within 6 months. Diencephalic lesions on the right side produced greater impairment of simple perception while those on the left side produced greater impairment of intellectual function.