An Explosive Event

A young man named Phineas Gage was building railroads back in 1848. He was well known for his intelligence and capacity for leadership. One day, he was tasked with blasting rocks to clear the way for new tracks to be placed in Vermont, but something went horribly wrong. Gage was using a long metal rod to pack gunpowder into a hole in the rock when suddenly, the powder ignited. This caused a massive explosion, with a force so strong that it sent the metal rod straight through Gage's brain! Despite this, Gage was up and talking in just a few minutes, although he needed a bit of help to walk. He even managed to ride back to his place in a cart. When the doctor arrived, Gage was in rough shape, having lost lots of blood and later falling ill due to infection. Believe it or not, by mid-November, he was walking around town.

What Happened After That?

Following his recovery, Gage's health returned to normal and he continued to live a regular life… for the most part. His personality had completely changed, having went from being kind-hearted and considerate, to pretty much the opposite - rude and impulsive. This was quickly found to be associated with the part of his brain that had been injured. As we know it today, the frontal lobe of the brain is responsible for our behavioral and emotional control. About four years later, he began to return to his old self, and even got a job that required lots of planning and focus. 

Why Was His Recovery so Important?

Gage's story is one of the most important case studies in recent psychology, since his accident showed doctors and scientists that the front part of our brain plays a huge role in our personality and emotions. Gage's story was a powerhouse and led to huge advances in neuroscience, helping people understand how our brains affect who we are and how we act. Today, Gage's case is still a big deal in medicine and psychology, teaching us a lot about the brain's power and how it shapes our behavior.