One of the most disputed medical procedures in history - Jenell Johnson episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 9, 2026 · 9 MIN

One of the most disputed medical procedures in history - Jenell Johnson

from TED-Ed · host TED-Ed

Uncover the history of the lobotomy, and find out why it's considered one of the most controversial procedures of the 20th century.--In 1935, researchers found that after removing the frontal lobes of two chimps, they no longer experienced frustration or anxiety. Neurologist Egas Moniz believed that replicating this in humans could cure mental illness— leading to one of the most controversial and destructive medical treatments of the 20th century: the lobotomy. Jenell Johnson uncovers the history of the procedure.Lesson by Jenell Johnson, directed by Anton Bogaty.Support Our Non-Profit Mission----------------------------------------------Support us on Patreon: http://bit.ly/TEDEdPatreonCheck out our merch: http://bit.ly/TEDEDShop----------------------------------------------Connect With Us----------------------------------------------Sign up for our newsletter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdNewsletterFollow us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/TEDEdFacebookFind us on Twitter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdTwitterPeep us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/TEDEdInstagram----------------------------------------------Keep Learning----------------------------------------------View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/one-of-the-most-controversial-medical-procedures-in-history-jenell-johnsonDig deeper with additional resources: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/one-of-the-most-controversial-medical-procedures-in-history-jenell-johnson/digdeeperAnimator's website: https://antonbogaty.com----------------------------------------------Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Brad Sullivan, Karen Ho, Niklas Frimberger, Hunter Manhart, Nathan Nguyen, Igor Stavchanskiy, James R DeVries, Grace Huo, Diana Huang, Chau Hong Diem, Orlellys Torre, Corheu, Thomas Mee, Maryann H McCrory, Blas Borde, John Hellmann, Poompak Meephian, Chuck Wofford, Adam Pagan, Wes Winn, Conder Shou, ntiger, Noname, Hansan Hu, David D, Mac Hyney, Keith Ellison, robin valero walters, Lynne Truesdale, Gatsby Dkdc, Matthew Neal, Denis Chon, Julian Oberhofer, Monte Carroll, Eddy, Jay M, Constantino Victor Delgado, Andrea Galvagni, Andrew Tweddle, Laurel-Ann Rice, Fernando A. Endo, Helen Lee, pam morgan, sarim haq, Gerardo Castro, Michel-Ange Hortegat, Enes Kirimi, Amaury BISIAUX, ND, and Samyogita Hardikar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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