Egas Moniz

Egas Moniz was a Portuguese neurologist and psychiatrist, best known for developing the lobotomy procedure in the 1930s. This surgical technique involved severing connections in the brain's prefrontal lobe, aiming to treat severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia and depression. Moniz's work earned him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1949, but lobotomy later faced criticism due to its often drastic and harmful effects on patients. His contributions sparked important discussions about mental health treatment and ethics in psychiatry, highlighting the balance between innovation and patient welfare.