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The Strange Case of Phineas Gage. an unexpected experiment in neurological function. Phineas Gage. Phineas Gage was working on blasting for a new rail line in Cavendish, Vermont -- mid 1800s he was putting dynamite into core drillings, using a tamping rod
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The Strange Case of Phineas Gage an unexpected experiment in neurological function
Phineas Gage • Phineas Gage was working on blasting for a new rail line in Cavendish, Vermont -- mid 1800s • he was putting dynamite into core drillings, using a tamping rod • rod is iron, about 3 ft long, narrowed at one end • accidentally, the dynamite charge blew up • this shot the tamping rod right through his skull and out the other side
note the “trap door” in the top of the skull • this must have opened, and then snapped shut again, in order to allow the rod to pass through • if the rod had been a few mm closer forward (anteriorly), it would have crushed his left eye
note the “trap door” in the top of the skull • this must have opened, and then snapped shut again, in order to allow the rod to pass through • if the rod had been a few mm closer forward (anteriorly), it would have crushed his left eye • note also his skull must have opened and then reshut at the line indicated in red
path sagittal • the rod probably went between Phineas’s frontal lobe and his limbic system • frontal lobe is responsible for higher-level thinking, reasoning, moral understanding, mathematical calculation, musical composition, etc.
limbic system • limbic system is responsible for generating emotions such as anger, drives to protect one’s children; hunger; thirst; passion • usually the limbic system has connections to the frontal lobe • usually the frontal lobe can have some control over the emotions generated in the limbic system
Brain Parts Cerebrum (cerebral cortex) ventricle Hypothalamus Pons Medulla oblongata Cerebellum