2024 marks both the 75th anniversary of António Egas Moniz's Nobel Prize and the sesquicentennial of his birth. Moniz graduated with honours from the medical school of the University of Coimbra (Coimbra, Portugal) in 1899, then trained in France, and later moved back to Portugal. Here, he became the country's first professor of neurology,¹ initially at the University of Coimbra (1901–11) and later at the University of Lisbon, until his retirement.

Moniz led a multifaceted and inspiring life (appendix). An admirer of the visual arts and an avid writer, he authored more than 500 books on topics ranging from politics to sexology, and about Portuguese literature. He also served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs and as the Portuguese ambassador to Spain between 1918 and 1919. Moniz was always captivated by the desire to contribute to scientific knowledge; yet, it was not until the age of 51 that he fully devoted his time to his neurological practice and became internationally recognised after developing cerebral angiography. On June 28, 1927, he first visualised cerebral arteries,² marking a pivotal moment in medical history. Together with his work on prefrontal leucotomy, the findings earned him the Nobel Prize for medicine in 1949.³

While prefrontal leucotomy is largely abandoned today and remains controversial, Moniz's work represented a substantial medical innovation at the time. He was aware of its limitations and even foreshadowed future criticisms, as acknowledged in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech: “Men pass away, but scientific conquests remain or are transformed. History, which archives them, will critique them (…) I feel like a fading shadow across the generations that follow.”

At the core of Moniz's work was a commitment to alleviating human suffering. It is crucial to view his contributions within the context of his era. While neuropsychiatry has progressed, our understanding of psychiatric diseases and treatment remains an urgent challenge. Moniz exemplifies the spirit of those who dedicate their lives to advancing clinical neuroscience.