The Strange
Case of Phineas
Gage
an unexpected experiment in
neurological function
Phineas Gage
• Phineas Gage was working on blasting for a new
rail line in Cavendish, Vermont -- mid 1800s
• he was putting dynamite into core drillings, using
a tamping rod
• The tamping rod is made of iron, about 3 ft long,
narrowed at one end
• accidentally, the dynamite charge blew up
• this shot the tamping rod right through his skull
and out the other side
• note the “trap
door” in the top
of the skull
• this must have
opened, and
then snapped
shut again, in
order to allow
the rod to pass
through
• if the rod had
been a few mm
closer forward
(anteriorly), it
would have
crushed his left
eye
• note the “trap
door” in the top of
the skull
• this must have
opened, and then
snapped shut
again, in order to
allow the rod to
pass through
• if the rod had been
a few mm closer
forward
(anteriorly), it
would have
crushed his left
eye
• note also his skull
must have opened
and then reshut at
the line indicated
in red
path sagittal
• the rod probably went
between Phineas’s
frontal lobe and his
limbic system
• frontal lobe is
responsible for higherlevel thinking, reasoning,
moral understanding,
mathematical calculation,
musical composition, etc.
limbic system
• limbic system is responsible for generating emotions such as anger,
drives to protect one’s children; hunger; thirst; passion
• usually the limbic system has connections to the frontal lobe
• usually the frontal lobe can have some control over the emotions
generated in the limbic system
Brain Parts
limbic system
Brain Parts
Cerebrum
(cerebral cortex)
ventricle
Hypothalamus
Pons
Medulla oblongata
Cerebellum