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A Retrospective Controlled Study of Leucotomy in Schizophrenia and Affective Disorders

Runwell Hospital, Wickford, Essex

ABSTRACT

Summary and Conclusions: A. (i) Groups matched for schizophrenia, sex, age on admission and length of admission are also shown to be comparable as far as:

1. Total length of previous admissions to Runwell Hospital.
   
2. Total length of previous admissions to other mental hospitals.
   
3. Civil state (single, married, etc.).
   
4. Occupational record as far as stability is concerned.
   
5. Family history of mental illness and suicide.
   
6. Type of school attended and progress.
   
7. Heterosexual attainment—a history of heterosexual friendships, an engagement, etc.
   
8. Intemperate habits.
   
9. Personality types.
   
10. Age at onset of first symptoms.
    
11. Type of onset of symptoms—acuteness, etc.
    
12. Response to electroplexy.
    
13. Number of remissions in the illness.
    
14. Occlusive index.
    
15. Immobility index.
    
16. Mean weight (in pounds) on admission and at operation date.
    
17. All physical treatments (apart from prolonged narcosis) used prior to operation date.
    

(ii)A behaviour rating scale also showed the leucotomy and control groups to be comparable as far as 15 items of behaviour were concerned.

(iii)The therapeutic results of leucotomy in schizophrenia comparing treatment and control groups matched as above are shown as temporary.

(iv)The incidence of epilepsy after leucotomy is markedly higher than in the control group.

(v)The gain in weight following leucotomy appears to disappear about two years post-operatively and is not an indication of prognosis.

(vi)Leucotomy does not significantly improve hospital behaviour in schizophrenia as measured by a behaviour scale, comparing periods before and after operation in leucotomy and control groups.

(B)Leucotomy does not appear to benefit affective disorders and in particular depression, when groups are compared, matched for diagnosis, sex, age on admission and chronicity.