ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some of the problems involved in assessing psychosurgery — the various methodological issues that have to be faced and the shortcomings evident in many of the studies that have been done. One of the common complaints about psychosurgery has been the lack of acceptable data for evaluative purposes. Advocates of psychosurgery cannot complain too loudly if their critics show such extreme distrust of the procedure as to press for its complete prohibition. Patients for whom psychosurgery appears to be indicated are usually suffering in ways that would make it improper to seek their submission to the contraints of a scientifically rigorous assessment of its value.
