The Strange Case of Phineas Gage

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The Strange Case of Phineas Gage

• an unexpected experiment in neurological function

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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

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• 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

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• 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

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path sagittal

• the rod probably went between Phineass frontal
  lobe and his limbic system
• frontal lobe is responsible for higher-level
  thinking, reasoning, moral understanding,
  mathematical calculation, musical composition,
  etc.

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limbic system

• limbic system is responsible for generating
  emotions such as anger, drives to protect ones
  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

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Brain Parts
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limbic system
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Brain Parts
Cerebrum (cerebral cortex)
ventricle
Hypothalamus
Pons
Medulla oblongata
Cerebellum
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