William Scoville

William Scoville was an American neurosurgeon renowned for pioneering brain surgery, notably for developing the first successful procedure to treat severe epilepsy. His most famous contribution was the removal of the hippocampus from patient Henry Molaison (known as H.M.), which provided critical insights into memory and brain function. This operation, although helping to reduce seizures, resulted in lifelong amnesia for recent events, highlighting the hippocampus's role in memory formation. Scoville’s work greatly advanced neuroscience and surgical techniques, deepening our understanding of the brain's structure and functions related to memory and epilepsy.