Decortication

DECORTICATION (from Latin de- negative part, and cortex- cortex), a term denoting the disabling of the cerebral cortex. Decortication may be observed in experimental-surgical cases, in certain pathological processes, as well as as a result of psychological shock. Most often, the term decortication is used in relation to experiments in physiology. All teaching on the functions of the cerebral cortex and especially on the localization of these functions is mainly due to experiments with removal of the cortex, which may be complete or partial. Complete decortication in the literal sense was rarely performed; usually removal of the cortex coincided with removal of the hemisphere. Partial extirpation of the cortex is the most favored method for studying its functions; it has been and is applied to various animals either in isolation or in connection with other methods: conditioned reflexes, architectonic, etc. (see Brain). Partial decortication is also used as a surgical treatment method for epilepsy (see). Besides the literal application of the term decortication in the sense of cortex extirpation, decortication is also observed in many processes not accompanied by actual removal of the cortex. Thus, the function of the cortex is disabled in various intoxications (experimental poisoning, drug poisoning in humans) and infections (encephalitis) of the cortex itself and finally even in the absence of any pathological processes, namely - in psychological shock, in diaschisis phenomena (see). Decortication is accompanied by symptoms of loss of function depending on the removed area of cortex. In addition, from the subcortical formations, various phenomena appear as a result of disinhibition due to loss of connection with the cortex. Besides this basic meaning of the term decortication, the latter is also used in relation to the treatment of diseases of some internal organs (decortication of the kidneys, etc.). However, this term is not fully established here, since another term-"decapsulation"-is often used instead. In recent times, the term "decortication" has been used in connection with special experiments by L. A. Orbeli on the kidneys.