Patient Phineas Gage
What part of the brain was damaged? How do you know?
How did the patient's behavior or abilities change as a result?
What function do you think this part of the brain is responsible for?
Case Study:
Phineas Gage was a polite and responsible railroad construction worker. In 1848, Gage was setting
up a gunpowder charge in a bed of rock when the gunpowder exploded, sending a steel rod straight through
Gage's skull. The rod removed a large part of Gage's frontal lobes. Gage made a surprising recovery, going on to
live another twelve years after the accident. But his personality had changed noticeably: he became rude,
impatient, and unable to carry out plans. People who knew him said that he was "no longer Gage".