Dr. Wilder Penfield - Later Academics

Dr. Penfield's approach naturally led him to the company of epileptics. Epilepsy is essentially a "short-circuit" in the brain, and most sufferers experience an "aura", or a set combination of sensations and emotions before lapsing into an epileptic seizure. Dr. Penfield used his electric probe on various areas of the brain, and based on the conscious patient's testimony, knew which regions to remove.

Dr. Penfield realized that he could not further the field of neurology on his own. He therefore envisioned an entire institute where neurologists, neurosurgeons, and pathologists worked together in close quarters and shared information, in order to mutually advance the field of neurology and become one step closer to understanding the human mind. Dr. Penfield's dream became a reality in 1934 when the Montreal Neurological Institute opened its doors.