Damasio et al. (1994) The Return of Phineas Gage:
Clues About the Brain from the Skull of a Famous
Patient
Aims: Results:
To identify the location of damage in Phineas Gage using modern Strengths:
One of the five acceptable trajectories appeared to be best fit, which
neuroimaging techniques Results had more scientific status than the data from 1848, as
suggested that
The researchers also wanted to see if the proposed location of researchers used modern day technology
● All of the damage occurred in the frontal lobes
damage and Phineas Gage’s reported changes were similar to other Predictions can be made about what changes behaviour, and inform
● Broca’s area (linked to language ability) was undamaged
case studies, which may give more information about the function of people on what happens if someone has damaged their frontal lobe,
● The motor cortices were undamaged
certain parts of the brain which can help in treating people after brain damage
● The ventromedial region of both frontal lobes were damaged,
whilst sparing the dorsolateral region
The researchers had studied other patients with damage in the regions that the Weaknesses:
iron rod had supposedly damaged in Phineas Gage The information gathered might not be very accurate, or is simply a
● They stated that 12 of these patients had similar impairments in guess from the reports they could find meaning that it is not very
Procedure: function to Phineas Gage, which they use as support for their reliable.
Initially, the researchers located Phineas Gage’s skull and the tamping proposed trajectory of the iron rod ● Because even though they used an exact replica of Gage’s
iron, which were being kept in a museum in the USA The patients and Phineas Gage had similarities such as: skull, the information about how the accident happened is
They performed a number of procedures to try to identify the location ● They had difficulty making rational decisions about personal and based on reports originally gathered over 150 years ago
of damage in the brain and the trajectory that the tamping iron took social matters and in the processing of emotions The case study cannot be generalised to other people because the brain
as it went through Phineas Gage’s head, which included: ● Their abilities to tackle abstract problems, perform calculations damage was unique to Gage, and it is unlikely someone else could have
● Taking x-rays of the skull and recall and attend to appropriate knowledge remained intact the exact same damage
● Taking precise measurements of the skull The researchers suggested that it is the dorsolateral region which is involved
● Deforming a 3D reconstruction of a human skull so that it with the intact abilities, with the ventromedial region responsible for the
matched Phineas Gage’s skull abilities that Phineas Gage (and other patients) had difficulties with
● Using a coordinate system (Talairach’s stereotaxic space)
to map out both skulls
● Determining the likely trajectory and therefore entry
points of the iron rod (20 different entry points in total)
Conclusions:
● Narrowing down the possible trajectories using reports The researchers concluded one proposed trajectory of the iron rod which was ‘most likely’ when
from the time and more recent research to five compared to those with normal brains and those with damaged brains
possibilities, which were modelled on a 3D reconstruction They hypothesised from this that the ventromedial frontal region was involved in emotion, and the
of a human brain that closely fit Phineas Gage’s assumed underlying neural machinery that participates in decision making
brain dimensions ● Therefore if this area was damaged then emotional regulation and decision making
would be compromised
Clues About the Brain from the Skull of a Famous
Patient
Aims: Results:
To identify the location of damage in Phineas Gage using modern Strengths:
One of the five acceptable trajectories appeared to be best fit, which
neuroimaging techniques Results had more scientific status than the data from 1848, as
suggested that
The researchers also wanted to see if the proposed location of researchers used modern day technology
● All of the damage occurred in the frontal lobes
damage and Phineas Gage’s reported changes were similar to other Predictions can be made about what changes behaviour, and inform
● Broca’s area (linked to language ability) was undamaged
case studies, which may give more information about the function of people on what happens if someone has damaged their frontal lobe,
● The motor cortices were undamaged
certain parts of the brain which can help in treating people after brain damage
● The ventromedial region of both frontal lobes were damaged,
whilst sparing the dorsolateral region
The researchers had studied other patients with damage in the regions that the Weaknesses:
iron rod had supposedly damaged in Phineas Gage The information gathered might not be very accurate, or is simply a
● They stated that 12 of these patients had similar impairments in guess from the reports they could find meaning that it is not very
Procedure: function to Phineas Gage, which they use as support for their reliable.
Initially, the researchers located Phineas Gage’s skull and the tamping proposed trajectory of the iron rod ● Because even though they used an exact replica of Gage’s
iron, which were being kept in a museum in the USA The patients and Phineas Gage had similarities such as: skull, the information about how the accident happened is
They performed a number of procedures to try to identify the location ● They had difficulty making rational decisions about personal and based on reports originally gathered over 150 years ago
of damage in the brain and the trajectory that the tamping iron took social matters and in the processing of emotions The case study cannot be generalised to other people because the brain
as it went through Phineas Gage’s head, which included: ● Their abilities to tackle abstract problems, perform calculations damage was unique to Gage, and it is unlikely someone else could have
● Taking x-rays of the skull and recall and attend to appropriate knowledge remained intact the exact same damage
● Taking precise measurements of the skull The researchers suggested that it is the dorsolateral region which is involved
● Deforming a 3D reconstruction of a human skull so that it with the intact abilities, with the ventromedial region responsible for the
matched Phineas Gage’s skull abilities that Phineas Gage (and other patients) had difficulties with
● Using a coordinate system (Talairach’s stereotaxic space)
to map out both skulls
● Determining the likely trajectory and therefore entry
points of the iron rod (20 different entry points in total)
Conclusions:
● Narrowing down the possible trajectories using reports The researchers concluded one proposed trajectory of the iron rod which was ‘most likely’ when
from the time and more recent research to five compared to those with normal brains and those with damaged brains
possibilities, which were modelled on a 3D reconstruction They hypothesised from this that the ventromedial frontal region was involved in emotion, and the
of a human brain that closely fit Phineas Gage’s assumed underlying neural machinery that participates in decision making
brain dimensions ● Therefore if this area was damaged then emotional regulation and decision making
would be compromised
