The History of Neuropsychology

Trephanation is an ancient surgical intervention in which a hole is drilled or scraped into the human skull to expose the dura mater.

Verona & William (1992) observed 750 skulls from Peru they observed location, technique, size healing and presence of fractures. The results found suggest that most trephanations were conducted in the frontal and upper parietal regions following injury to the skull.Techniques of drilling “burr hole” were used to relieve pressure

             

                                 This is an example of the type of trephanations.

Edwin Smith Papyrus (2500-3000BC)

Papyrus wrote one of the earliest written records of medical treatment. 48 cases described included references to head and brain injury. These descriptions suggest that for the 1^st time brain functions are localized in specific parts of the brain.

Hemiplegia - Paralysis of one side of the body

Aristotle theorised that the heart is a organ of human mind or consciousness the theory was called "Cardiac or Cardiocentric hypothesis"

Aristotle thought that the heart was the most important organ and the other organs around existed to cool the heart down

Pythagoras 550 BC was the first to propose that thought process and the soul were not located in the heart but in the brain. The theory was called “Brain or Cephalocentrix hypothesis” Pythagoras believed the brain was the source of reasoning and all human actions.

Hippocrates 400BC

Was considered the father of medicine Hippocrates believed that all illness was a result of an imbalance of four humours which are balanced when someone is healthy the four humours where blood black bile, yellow bile and phlegm. Hippocrates believed when the four humours where not in balance a person would become sick and remain so until the balance was restored.

Hippocrates also believed that the brain was the seat of intelligence and controlled all human senses emotions and movement he was the first theorist to recognize that paralysis occurred on the side of the body opposite to the side of the head that was injured.

Galen 200BC

Galen treated traumas and wounds whilst working in a gladiator school. He perfomed many operations including eye and brain surgeries and also “vivisections” of numerous animals to study the function of the kidney and spinal cord Galen hypothesized that the mind controlled fluids known as pneuma and our physical functioning was dictated by the balance of the four bodily fluids : yellow bile,black bile, blood and mucus.

Vesalius (1514-1564)

Vesalius was the first to conduct careful observations of the brain anatomy and qualify the teachings of the cell doctrine he also introduced anatomical theatre in which  students and doctors could watch dissections from above the surgery.

Descrates (1596-1650)

Descartes introduced the idea that the mind and body were different and all mental functions were developed i the pineal gland which is small and centrally located inside the bain. This gland today is believed to play a role in sleep and wake and light and dark cycles.

Gall (1758-1828)

Gall hypothesied that the brain was compromised of separate organs each localised and responsible for a basic psychological trait such as 

• controlling 
• cautiousness
•  combativeness 
• agreeableness 
• memory 
• calculation ability 
• colour perception.

Broca (1824-1880)

Broca described a famous case where a patient suffered from a stroke of the left hemisphere and who could only say the word “TAN” the patient was however able to comprehend language. Broca used this case and many others to hypothesise that the left frontal lobe was the localized for language.

Localization: a determination of the place where something is

1) Which event in history of Neuropsychology do you consider more relevant ? why?

The most relevant  event in history is Edwin Smith Papyrus (2500-3000 BC) was the most relevant in the history of Neuropsychology as he was the first to theorize that brain functions are localized in specific parts of the brain, which is what i believed spurred on others to conduct further research looking at the brain and the different function different localized areas of the brain work.

2) Is technology really relevant to the advance of our knowledge about brain, behavior and cognition?


I think technology is vital as the use of MRI scans and CAT scans help us to see exactly what areas of the brain are at work.