The theories of thinking of Alexander Bain, David Ferrier, and Sigmund Freud are examined and their relation to Phineas Gage explored. During the 19th century Ferrier derived an inhibitory-motor theory of thinking from a similar theory of Bain's, and aspects of Freud's theory of thinking resemble both. All 3 theories were modeled on the sensory-motor reflex, and all proposed that thinking was inhibited action. Ferrier used his theory to explain the behavior of monkeys whose frontal lobes were ablated and the disinhibited behavior Phineas Gage exhibited after massive damage to his frontal lobes. I show there is some possibility that Freud knew the Bain-Ferrier theory of thinking and its application to Gage.
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The 1888 dissertation of a female medical student, Ueber Character-Veränderungen des Menschen in Folge von Laesionen des Stirnhirns (On character changes of man as a consequence of lesions of the frontal lobe).
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Neurologische Klinik und Poliklinik, LMU Klinikum, LMU München, Munich, Germany. Electronic address:
A case of brain injury with a transient syndrome of mainly disinhibited behaviour (Franz Binz) was the subject of the 1888 medical dissertation of Leonore Welt (∗1859 Chernivtsi, Ukraine; †1944 Geneva, Switzerland) which came to be discussed quite controversially. Although Binz was never fully forgotten, the similar "American crow-bar case" (Phineas Gage) attracted more interest. Welt's study, in contrast, provides not only well-illustrated neuropathological findings but also more detailed clinical data.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFE.L., a modern-day Phineas Gage: Revisiting frontal lobe injury.
Lancet Reg Health Am
October 2022
Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, CCS, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how the brain, particularly the prefrontal cortex (PFC), recovers after injury and focuses on low-frequency oscillatory activity (LFO) as a key factor in this process.
- Data were collected from a patient, E.L., who had significant PFC damage due to an accident, and assessments included various clinical and neuropsychological tests to understand the relationship between LFO and cognitive function.
- Findings revealed that LFO activity varied with movement and brain hemisphere recruitment, suggesting potential targets for neuromodulation to improve executive functions, highlighting differences between E.L. and historical cases like Phineas Gage regarding cognitive impairments.
Neuroscience Education Begins With Good Science: Communication About Phineas Gage (1823-1860), One of Neurology's Most-Famous Patients, in Scientific Articles.
Front Hum Neurosci
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Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Theory and History of Psychology, Heymans Institute for Psychological Research, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
Phineas Gage is one of the most famous neurological patients. His case is still described in psychology textbooks and in scientific journal articles. A controversy has been going on about the possible consequences of his accident, destroying part of his prefrontal cortex, particularly with respect to behavioral and personality changes.
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