56. Brain

See also 14. ANATOMY ; 51. BODY, HUMAN ; 196. HEAD .

biofeedback

the process of providing a person with visual or auditory evidence of the quality of an autonomie physiological function so that he may attempt to exercise conscious control over it.

cerebrology

1. Obsolete, the branch of psychology that studies the brain.

2. Medicine. the total knowledge concerning the brain.

craniotomy

the surgical operation of opening the skull, as for an operation on the brain.

cybernetics

the comparative study of complex electronic devices and the nervous system in an attempt to understand better the nature of the human brain. — cyberneticist , n. — cybernetic , adj.

encephalitis

an inflamed condition of the brain.

heterotopy, heterotopia, heterotopism

a condition in which normal tissue is misplaced, especially in the brain, so that masses of gray matter are found in the white matter. See also 44. BIOLOGY .. — heterotopous , adj.

lobotomy

surgical severing of certain nerve fibers in the frontal lobe of the brain, once commonly performed to treat intractable depression. Also called prefrontal lobotomy .

menticide

the process of systematically altering beliefs and attitudes, especially through the use of drugs, torture, or psychological stress techniques; brainwashing.

phrenomagnetism

brain stimulation by hypnosis or magnetism.

prosencephalon

the forebrain. — prosencephalies , adj.

psychokinesis

a form of extreme or violent cerebral activity caused by defective inhibition. — psychokinetic , adj.

psychosurgery

the use of brain surgery to treat mental disorders. — psychosurgeon , n.

sensorium

the sensory apparatus of the body as a whole; the seat of physical sensation, imagined to be in the gray matter of the brain.

synectics

a procedure for the stating and solving of problems based upon creative thinking in figurative terms by a small, carefully chosen, and diversely specialized group.

telencephalon

the anterior section of the forebrain, containing the cerebrum and related structures. — telencephalic , adj.

telergy

the influence one brain is thought to exercise over another, from a distance, by means of some hypothetical mental energy.

topectomy

surgical excision of part of the cerebral cortex, as to provide relief for pain or treat certain mental disorders.