6533b823fe1ef96bd127e058

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Revisiting the left convexity hypothesis: changes in the mental apparatus after left dorso-medial prefrontal damage

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It has been 15 years since Kaplan-Solms and Solms published their Clinical Studies in Neuropsychoanalysis, where they proposed a neuroanatomy of the mental apparatus. One of their main observations was that damage to certain areas of the left prefrontal cortex (PFC), particularly those related to expressive language (Broca’s area), did not generate changes in the mental apparatus. However, a limitation of their model was that it did not include patients with damage to other areas of the left PFC. The main goal of this paper is to update Kaplan-Solms and Solms’ model through the description of id, ego and superego changes in a case of left dorso-medial prefrontal damage (Professor F). Data from a 7-year psychoanalytic psychotherapy with Professor F were collected through the review of clinical notes and session voice recordings. This material was analyzed under the light of existing evidence on the neuropsychological functions supported by the left dorso-medial PFC. Results from this analysis support the h...