Personality and Neurosurgery, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1988 Proceedings of the Third Convention of the Academia Eurasiana Neurochirurgica Brussels, August 30–September 2, 1987 Acta Neurochirurgica Supplement Series, Vol. 44

The human personality is inextricably bound up with, among other things, the function of the central nervous system. Diseases and malfunctions of the brain, head injuries and neurosurgical operations can all result in permanently altered behaviour patterns. This interrelation between brain and behaviour is most clearly demonstrated in cases involving functional neurosurgery and severe traumatic lesions. Despite the fact that this interrelation represents an everyday challenge to the neurosurgeon, it is a question which receives less attention than it deserves in neurosurgical meetings. Given the scope and complexity of this topic, it is not possible to cover every aspect of it here: hence, discussion is limited to the impact on personality of injuries, language, epilepsy and psychosurgery. However, before considering the medical aspects, it was deemed necessary to try and arrive at a definition of "personality". This question was discussed by a number of philosophers representing various perspectives. Their diversity of viewpoints and conceptions greatly enriched the discussions.

I. Introduction.- Address.- Address.- II. Meaning of Human Personality.- Behaviourism East and West.- The Problem of Mind Eastern Philosophy.- The Dynamics of Personality. An East European View.- The Concept of “Persona”: Substance or Relation.- III. Methodology of Personality Evaluation.- Methodology of the Evaluation of the Personality.- Discussion on Methods for the Evaluation of the Personality. Normal Brain / Damaged Brain.- IV. Changes of Personality as Consequence of Severe Brain Injuries.- Personality Change After Severe Head Injury.- Post-Traumatic Personality: as Many Cases as Individuals.- Post-Traumatic Psychoses.- Personality After Head Injury.- A Relativistic Cybernetic Model for the Personality Disorders Caused by Head Injuries.- Unexpected Improvement After Prolonged Post-Traumatic Vegetative State.- Personality Traits After Prolonged Vegetative State. Reflections on “Unexpected Improvement After Prolonged Post-Traumatic Vegetative State”.- Two Cases of Painters Operated More than Ten Years Ago for Intracranial Lesions. Evolution of Their Artistic Production.- Concluding Remarks to Preceding Contributions of N. Sichez-Auclair and A. Violon.- V. Epilepsy and Personality.- Personality Disorders and Epilepsy.- Surgical Treatment of Epilepsy. Restoration of Personality?.- Epilepsy and Verbal Behaviour.- VI. Aphasia and Personality.- Aphasia and Personality.- VII. Psychosurgery and Personality.- Psychosurgery and Personality Disorders.- Historical Overview of Psychosurgery and Its Problematic.- Regarding the Experimental Neurophysiological Basis of Psychosurgery.- Aspects of Personality in Patients with Anxiety Disorders Undergoing Capsulotomy.- Posteromedial Hypothalamotomy in the Treatment of Violent, Aggressive Behaviour.- Stereotactic Operation inBehaviour Disorders. Amygdalotomy and Hypothalamotomy.- Psychosurgery Today.- Psychiatric and Neuropsychological Findings After Stereotactic Hypothalamotomy, in Cases of Extreme Sexual Aggressivity.- Experiences in Psycho-Surgery in the Netherlands.- Psychosurgery and Personality—Some Legal Considerations.- Ethics of Psychosurgery.- Ethics of Functional Neurosurgery.- VIII. General Conclusions.- General Conclusions.