Moniz, António Caetano de Abreu Freire Egas
(1874–1955) PortugueseNeuroscientist António
Caetano de Abreu Freire Egas Moniz was born in
Avanca, Portugal, on November 29, 1874, to Fernando
de Pina Rezende Abreu and Maria do Rosario de
Almeida e Sousa. He received his early education
from his uncle before joining the Faculty of Medicine
at Coimbra University. He continued his education
in Bordeaux and Paris, received his doctor’s degree in
medicine in 1899, and became professor at Coimbra in
- In 1911 he became the new chair in neurology at
Lisbon and stayed there until his death.
Moniz also participated in politics in 1903, serving
as a deputy in the Portuguese parliament until 1917,
when he became Portuguese ambassador to Spain. In
1917 he was appointed minister for foreign affairs and
was president of the Portuguese delegation at the Paris
Peace Conference in 1918.
Aside from politics, Moniz discovered cerebral
angiography and prefrontal leucotomy (lobotomy). He
was awarded a Nobel Prize in medicine in 1949 for
developing the first psychosurgery procedure, frontal leu-
cotomy, and a surgical interruption of nerve fibers that
connect the frontal or prefrontal areas of the cerebral
cortex of the brain. He published a number of books,
including Physiological and Pathological Aspects of Sex
Life,1901; Neurology in War,1917; A Year of Politics,
1920; Diagnostics of Cerebral Tumours and Application
of Arterial Encephalography,1931; Tentative Methods in
the Treatment of Certain Psychoses, 1936; Prefrontal
Leucotomy: Surgical Treatment of Certain Psychoses,
1937; Clinical Cerebral Angiography, 1938; Cerebral
Arteriography and Phlebography,1940; On the Side of
Medicine,1940; How I Came to PerformLeucotomy,
1948; and even History of Playing-Cards,1942.
Moniz received numerous honors during his career
and is considered the father of modern psychosurgery.
He died on December 13, 1955, in Lisbon.
monoamine Small organic molecule containing both
a carboxyl group and an amino group bonded to the
same carbon atom, e.g., histamine, serotonine,
epinephrine, and norepinephrine.
monoclonal Literally, coming from a single clone.
Aclone is the progeny of a single cell. In immuno-
logy, monoclonal generally describes a preparation
of antibody that is monogenous, or cells of a single
specificity.monoclonal antibodies Laboratory-produced anti-
bodies, which can be programmed to react against a
specific antigen in order to suppress the immune
response.monocot Monocotyledonae, a subclass of the
angiosperms, that has as characteristics an embryo
containing one cotyledon, parallel leaf veins, pollen
with single furrow or pore, stem vascular bundles scat-
tered, secondary growth absent, adventitious roots,
and flower parts in multiples of three. Monocots com-
prise some one-quarter of all flowering plants in the
world, about 65,000 species divided among 9 families:
Gramineae, Liliaceae, Iridaceae, Orchidaceae, Palmae,
Pandanaceae, Agavaceae, Bromeliaceae, Musaceae.
Includes lilies, orchids, palms, and grasses. Economi-
cally important monocots such as corn, rice, wheat,
barley, sugar cane, pineapples, dates, and bananas
make up much of the food supply.
Monocots reproduce sexually. The flowering plants
contain female carpels and male stamens. Monocots
are primarily tropical, with the exception of the lilies,
asparagus, and gumflower.
See alsoANGIOSPERM.monoculture The practice of raising only one species
on a large land area. Makes planting and harvesting
easier with a large machine like a combine.monocyte A white blood cell that can ingest dead or
damaged cells (through phagocytosis) and provide
immunological defenses against many infectious organ-
isms. Monocytes migrate into tissues and develop into
macrophages.monoecious Plants having separate male and
female flowers on the same plant, e.g., cucumbers,
American beech, black walnut, and corn. Opposite of
DIOECIOUS.monoecious 225