Punishment and psychopathy: a case-control functional MRI investigation of reinforcement learning in violent antisocial personality disordered men

Exploring when to exploit: the cognitive underpinnings of foraging-type decisions in relation to psychopathy

Impairments in reinforcement learning (RL) might underlie the tendency of individuals with elevated psychopathic traits to behave exploitatively, as they fail to learn from their mistakes. Most studies on the topic have focused on binary choices, while everyday functioning requires us to learn the value of multiple options. In this study, we evaluated the cognitive correlates of naturalistic foraging-type decision-making and their electrophysiological signatures in a community sample (n = 108) with varying degrees of psychopathic traits. Reinforcers with different salience were included in a foraging-type decision-making task. Recruitment of various cognitive processes was estimated with a computational model and electrophysiology, and the relationships to psychopathic traits were assessed. Higher Antisocial traits were associated with a bias towards expecting more volatility in the environment when high-salience reinforcers were used. Additionally, higher levels of Interpersonal traits were associated with reduced learning from personalized rewards, as evidenced by reductions in the prediction errors (PEs) about rate of change. Higher Affective traits were associated with lower PEs and aberrant learning from painful punishments. Lastly, the PEs about rate of change were reflected in the trial-wise trajectories of Feedback-Related Negativity event-related potentials. Together, our results point to the importance of volatility processing in understanding aberrant decision-making in relation to psychopathy, demonstrate the relationships between psychopathic traits and learning through reward and punishment, and emphasise the potentially more beneficial effect of personalized rewards and punishment for improving reinforcement-based decision-making in individuals with elevated psychopathic traits.

Relationship between punishment sensitivity and risk-taking propensity

Previous research has shown that, in both laboratory and real-world contexts, punishment sensitivity is associated with lower risk-taking propensity. The neural underpinnings of the association between punishment sensitivity and risk-taking, however, remain largely unknown. To address this issue, we implemented resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) methodologies to investigate the neural basis of their relationship in the current study (N=594). The behavioral results confirmed a negative association between punishment sensitivity and risk-taking propensity, which supports the hypothesis. The VBM results demonstrated a positive correlation between punishment sensitivity and gray matter volume in the right orbitofrontal cortex (ROFC). Furthermore, the results of the RSFC analysis revealed that the functional connectivity between ROFC and the right medial temporal gyrus (RMTG) was positively associated with punishment sensitivity. Notably, mediation analysis demonstrated that punishment sensitivity acted as a complete mediator in the influence of ROFC-RMTG functional connectivity on risk-taking. These findings suggest that ROFC-RMTG functional connectivity may be the neural basis underlying the effect of punishment sensitivity on risk-taking propensity, which provides a new perspective for understanding the relationship between punishment sensitivity and risk-taking propensity.

Psychopathy and medial frontal cortex: A systematic review reveals predominantly null relationships

Theories have posited that psychopathy is caused by dysfunction in the medial frontal cortex, including ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC). Recent reviews have questioned the reproducibility of neuroimaging findings within this field. We conducted a systematic review to describe the consistency of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings according to anatomical subregion (vmPFC, ACC, dmPFC), experimental task, psychopathy assessment, study power, and peak coordinates of significant effects. Searches of PsycInfo and MEDLINE databases produced 77 functional and 24 structural MRI studies that analyzed the medial frontal cortex in relation to psychopathy in adult samples. Findings were predominantly null (85.4 % of 1573 tests across the three medial frontal regions). Studies with higher power observed null effects at marginally lower rates. Finally, peak coordinates of significant effects were widely dispersed. The evidence failed to support theories positing the medial frontal cortex as a consistent neural correlate of psychopathy. Theory and methods in the field should be revised to account for predominantly null neuroimaging findings.

Investigating the impact of lumping heterogenous conduct problems: aggression and rule-breaking rely on distinct spontaneous brain activity

Accumulating evidence suggests that aggression and rule-breaking may have distinct origins. However, grouping these heterogeneous behaviors into a single dimension labelled Conduct Problems (CP) has become the norm rather than the exception. Yet, the neurobiological features that differentiate aggression and rule-breaking remain largely unexplored. Using a large sample of children and adolescents (n = 1360, 6-18 years old), we examined the common and specific brain activity between CP, aggression, and rule-breaking behaviors. Analyses were conducted using fMRI resting-state data from a 10-minute session to explore the correlations between low frequency fluctuations and both broad and fine-grained CP dimensions. The broad CP dimension was associated with deficits in the precentral gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, and tempo-parietal junction. However, only the superior temporal gyrus was shared between aggression and rule-breaking. Activity of the precentral gyrus was mainly associated with rule-breaking, and the temporo-parietal cortex with aggression. More importantly, voxel-wise analyses on fine-grained dimensions revealed additional specific effects that were initially obscured when using a broad CP dimension. Finally, we showed that the findings specific to aggression and rule-breaking may be related to distinct brain networks and mental functions, especially ventral attention/sensorimotor processes and default mode network/social cognitions, respectively. The current study highlights that aggression and rule-breaking may be related to distinct local and distributed neurobiological markers. Overall, using fine-grained dimensions may provide a clearer picture of the role of neurobiological correlates in CP and their invariance across measurement levels. We advocate for adopting a more thorough examination of the lumping/splitting effect across neuroimaging studies on CP.

Impaired striatal glutamate/GABA regulation in violent offenders with antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy

Men with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) with or without psychopathy (+/-P) are responsible for most violent crime in society. Development of effective treatments is hindered by poor understanding of the neurochemical underpinnings of the condition. Men with ASPD with and without psychopathy demonstrate impulsive decision-making, associated with striatal abnormalities in functional neuroimaging studies. However, to date, no study has directly examined the potential neurochemical underpinnings of such abnormalities. We therefore investigated striatal glutamate: GABA ratio using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in 30 violent offenders (16 ASPD-P, 14 ASPD + P) and 21 healthy non-offenders. Men with ASPD +/- P had a significant reduction in striatal glutamate : GABA ratio compared to non-offenders. We report, for the first time, striatal Glutamate/GABA dysregulation in ASPD +/- P, and discuss how this may be related to core behavioral abnormalities in the disorders.

Functional Connectivity of the Nucleus Accumbens across Variants of Callous-Unemotional Traits: A Resting-State fMRI Study in Children and Adolescents

A large body of literature suggests that the primary (high callousness-unemotional traits [CU] and low anxiety) and secondary (high CU traits and anxiety) variants of psychopathy significantly differ in terms of their clinical profiles. However, little is known about their neurobiological differences. While few studies showed that variants differ in brain activity during fear processing, it remains unknown whether they also show atypical functioning in motivational and reward system. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was conducted on a large sample of adolescents (n = 1416) to identify variants based on their levels of callousness and anxiety. Seed-to-voxel connectivity analysis was subsequently performed on resting-state fMRI data to compare connectivity patterns of the nucleus accumbens across subgroups. LPA failed to identify the primary variant when using total score of CU traits. Using a family-wise cluster correction, groups did not differ on functional connectivity. However, at an uncorrected threshold the secondary variant showed distinct functional connectivity between the nucleus accumbens and posterior insula, lateral orbitofrontal cortex, supplementary motor area, and parietal regions. Secondary LPA analysis using only the callousness subscale successfully distinguish both variants. Group differences replicated results of deficits in functional connectivity between the nucleus accumbens and posterior insula and supplementary motor area, but additionally showed effect in the superior temporal gyrus which was specific to the primary variant. The current study supports the importance of examining the neurobiological markers across subgroups of adolescents at risk for conduct problems to precise our understanding of this heterogeneous population.

Recidivism risk in male adult sex offenders with psychopathic traits assessed by PCL-R: A systematic review

Psychopathy has been empirically associated with various forms of antisocial behavior including sexual assault. In fact, the lack of empathy characterizing psychopathic offenders may facilitate the perpetration of more extreme violence. This systematic review aims to explore the relationship between psychopathy traits in male adult sex offenders and the increase in recidivism risk for any type of reoffence, with a special focus on sexual recidivism. From an initial sample of 757 articles related to the topic, only 14 were selected from the current literature at the end of the inclusion process. Each of these assessed the relation between psychopathy traits (measured by PCL-R) and recidivism risk in male sex offenders (age > 18), providing an effect size (quantitative findings). The results of their analysis agree with the currently available literature: the presence of psychopathic traits in sex offenders would seem to correlate with an increased risk of recidivism of general but non-sexual. Furthermore, almost half of the included works highlighted a positive relationship between psychopathy and violent reoffences. However, the limited availability of studies and the unevenness in their results indicate the need to expand future research in this direction.

Sex dimorphic cortical brain volumes associated with antisocial behavior in young adults

Background

Although sex differences in antisocial behavior are well-documented, the extent to which neuroanatomical differences are related to sex differences in antisocial behavior is unclear. The inconsistent results from different clinical populations exhibiting antisocial behaviors are mainly due to the heterogeneity in etiologies, comorbidity inequality, and small sample size, especially in females.

Objective

The study aimed to find sexual dimorphic brain regions associated with individual differences in antisocial behavior while avoiding the issues of heterogeneity and sample size.

Methods

We collected structural neuroimaging data from 281 college students (131 males, 150 females) and analyzed the data using voxel-based morphometry.

Results

The gray matter volume in three brain regions correlates with self-reported antisocial behavior in males and females differently: the posterior superior temporal sulcus, middle temporal gyrus, and precuneus. The findings have controlled for the total cortical gray matter volume, age, IQ, and socioeconomic status. Additionally, we found a common neural substrate of antisocial behavior in both males and females, extending from the anterior temporal lobe to the insula.

Conclusion

This is the first neuroanatomical evidence from a large non-clinical sample of young adults. The study suggests that differences in males and females in reading social cues, understanding intentions and emotions, and responding to conflicts may contribute to the modulation of brain morphometry concerning antisocial behavior.

A neurocognitive model of early onset persistent and desistant antisocial behavior in early adulthood

It remains unclear which functional and neurobiological mechanisms are associated with persistent and desistant antisocial behavior in early adulthood. We reviewed the empirical literature and propose a neurocognitive social information processing model for early onset persistent and desistant antisocial behavior in early adulthood, focusing on how young adults evaluate, act upon, monitor, and learn about their goals and self traits. Based on the reviewed literature, we propose that persistent antisocial behavior is characterized by domain-general impairments in self-relevant and goal-related information processing, regulation, and learning, which is accompanied by altered activity in fronto-limbic brain areas. We propose that desistant antisocial development is associated with more effortful information processing, regulation and learning, that possibly balances self-relevant goals and specific situational characteristics. The proposed framework advances insights by considering individual differences such as psychopathic personality traits, and specific emotional characteristics (e.g., valence of social cues), to further illuminate functional and neural mechanisms underlying heterogenous developmental pathways. Finally, we address important open questions and offer suggestions for future research to improve scientific knowledge on general and context-specific expression and development of antisocial behavior in early adulthood.

Contemporary diagnosis and treatment of conduct disorder in youth

INTRODUCTION

Conduct disorder (CD) is characterized by repetitive and persistent antisocial behaviors, being among the most frequently reported reasons of referral in youth. CD is a highly heterogeneous disorder, with possible specifiers defined according to age at onset, Limited Prosocial Emotions (LPE) otherwise known as Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits, Emotional Dysregulation (ED), and patterns of comorbidity, each with its own specific developmental trajectories.

AREAS COVERED

The authors review the evidence from published literature on the clinical presentations, diagnostic procedures, psychotherapeutic and psychoeducational approaches, and pharmacological interventions from RCT and naturalistic studies in youth. Evidence from studies including youths with LPE/CU traits, ED and aggression are also reviewed, as response moderators.

EXPERT OPINION

Due to its clinical heterogeneity, relevant subtypes of CD should be carefully characterized to gain reliable information on prognosis and treatments. Thus, disentangling this broad category in subtypes is crucial as a first step in diagnosis. Psychosocial interventions are the first option, possibly improving LPE/CU traits and ED, especially if implemented early during development. Instead, limited information, based on low-quality studies, supports pharmacological options. Second-generation antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and stimulants are first-line medications, according to different target symptoms, such as aggression and emotional reactivity. Developmental pathways including ADHD suggest a specific role of psychostimulants.

Concurrent and Prospective Associations of Reward Response with Affective and Alcohol Problems: ADHD-Related Differential Vulnerability

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a heterogeneous disorder. Data on the role of transdiagnostic, intermediate phenotypes in ADHD-relevant characteristics and outcomes are needed to advance conceptual understanding and approaches to precision psychiatry. Specifically, the extent to which the association between neural response to reward and ADHD-associated affective, externalizing, internalizing, and substance use problems differ depending on ADHD status is unknown. Aims were to examine, in 129 adolescents, whether concurrent and prospective associations of fMRI-measured initial response to reward attainment (relative to loss) with affectivity and externalizing, internalizing, and alcohol use problems differs between youth at-risk for (i.e., subclinical) (n = 50) and not at-risk for ADHD. Adolescents were, on average, 15.29 years old (SD = 1.00; 38% female), 50 were at-risk for (M_age = 15.18 years, SD = 1.04; 22% female) and 79 not at-risk for (M_age = 15.37 years, SD = 0.98; 48.1% female) ADHD. Both concurrent and prospective relations differed given ADHD risk: across analyses, in at-risk youth, greater superior frontal gyrus response was associated with lower concurrent depressive problems but in not at-risk youth, these characteristics were not related. Controlling for baseline use, in at-risk youth, greater putamen response was associated with greater 18-month hazardous alcohol use, whereas in not at-risk youth, greater putamen response was associated with lower use. Where in brain and for which outcomes modulate (direction of) observed relations: superior frontal gyrus response is relevant for depressive problems whereas putamen response is relevant for alcohol problems and greater neural responsivity is linked to less depressive but to more alcohol problems in adolescents at-risk for ADHD and less alcohol problems in adolescents not at-risk. Differences in neural response to reward differentially confer vulnerability for adolescent depressive and alcohol problems depending on ADHD risk.

Oxytocin normalizes the implicit processing of fearful faces in psychopathy: a randomized crossover study using fMRI

Adults with antisocial personality disorder with (ASPD + P) and without (ASPD - P) psychopathy commit the majority of violent crimes. Empathic processing abnormalities are particularly prominent in psychopathy, but effective pharmacological interventions have yet to be identified. Oxytocin modulates neural responses to fearful expressions in healthy populations. The current study investigates its effects in violent antisocial men. In a placebo-controlled, randomized crossover design, 34 violent offenders (19 ASPD + P; 15 ASPD - P) and 24 healthy non-offenders received 40 IU intranasal oxytocin or placebo and then completed an fMRI morphed faces task examining the implicit processing of fearful facial expressions. Increasing intensity of fearful facial expressions failed to appropriately modulate activity in the bilateral mid-cingulate cortex in violent offenders with ASPD + P, compared with those with ASPD - P. Oxytocin abolished these group differences. This represents evidence of neurochemical modulation of the empathic processing of others' distress in psychopathy.

Pharmacological strategies for the management of the antisocial personality disorder

INTRODUCTION

Antisocial personality disorder (AsPD) is a pervasive pattern of violation of others' rights, related to the concept of psychopathy. AsPD is stable over time from adolescence, with evidence of conduct disorder (CD) before 15 years. DSM-5 included a specifier 'with limited prosocial emotions' (LPE), which characterizes adolescents with higher developmental vulnerability to develop AsPD. Despite being relatively frequent with considerable societal impact, AsPD is a difficult-to-treat condition with high comorbidity rates and poor evidence for effective pharmacological interventions.

AREAS COVERED

We conducted a narrative review and searched PubMed up to September 2022. We included RCTs and naturalistic studies evaluating pharmacological interventions on AsPD in adults, including those with comorbid substance use disorder or psychopathic traits. Evidence in youths with CD, callous-unemotional (CU) traits and aggression were also reviewed, exploring the role of CU traits as moderators of response.

EXPERT OPINION

Psychosocial interventions are the first option, with possible improvement of CU traits, beyond behavioral and affective symptoms, particularly if implemented early during development. Limited information, based on low-quality studies, supports the pharmacological options. Second-generation antipsychotics, lithium, anti-epileptic drugs, and stimulants are first-line medications, according to different target symptoms. Developmental pathways including ADHD suggest a specific role of psychostimulants.

The computational psychiatry of antisocial behaviour and psychopathy

Antisocial behaviours such as disobedience, lying, stealing, destruction of property, and aggression towards others are common to multiple disorders of childhood and adulthood, including conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, psychopathy, and antisocial personality disorder. These disorders have a significant negative impact for individuals and for society, but whether they represent clinically different phenomena, or simply different approaches to diagnosing the same underlying psychopathology is highly debated. Computational psychiatry, with its dual focus on identifying different classes of disorder and health (data-driven) and latent cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms (theory-driven), is well placed to address these questions. The elucidation of mechanisms that might characterise latent processes across different disorders of antisocial behaviour can also provide important advances. In this review, we critically discuss the contribution of computational research to our understanding of various antisocial behaviour disorders, and highlight suggestions for how computational psychiatry can address important clinical and scientific questions about these disorders in the future.

Social-affective functioning and learning in psychopathy

Psychopathy is a personality construct for which impairments in multiple aspects of social and affective functioning are considered to be central. Individuals with elevated levels of psychopathic traits tend to exhibit maladaptive behaviors that are harmful to themselves and others, and seem to be limited in how they perceive and experience affective states. This chapter provides a brief overview of biopsychological theories and studies of psychopathy targeting impairments in affective processing and behavioral adaptation through learning. Also, current gaps in the literature will be discussed in addition to findings highlighting the need to routinely reexamine the validity and robustness of decades-old views on psychopathy in the light of recent multidisciplinary empirical research. The chapter ends with a short reflection on how alternative views may offer novel insights that may bring significant advances in the study of the biopsychological factors underlying psychopathy.

Psychopathic tendency in violent offenders is associated with reduced aversive Pavlovian inhibition of behavior and associated striatal BOLD signal

Background

Violent offenders with psychopathic tendencies are characterized by instrumental, i.e., planned, callous, and unemotional (aggressive) behavior and have been shown to exhibit abnormal aversive processing. However, the consequences of abnormal aversive processing for instrumental action and associated neural mechanisms are unclear.

Materials and methods

Here we address this issue by using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 15 violent offenders with high psychopathic tendencies and 18 matched controls during the performance of an aversive Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer paradigm. This paradigm allowed us to assess the degree to which aversive Pavlovian cues affect instrumental action and associated neural signaling.

Results

Psychopathic tendency scores were associated with an attenuation of aversive Pavlovian inhibition of instrumental action. Moreover, exploratory analyses revealed an anomalous positive association between aversive inhibition of action and aversive inhibition of BOLD signal in the caudate nucleus of violent offenders with psychopathic tendencies. In addition, psychopathic tendency also correlated positively with amygdala reactivity during aversive versus neutral cues in Pavlovian training.

Conclusion

These findings strengthen the hypothesis that psychopathic tendencies in violent offenders are related to abnormal impact of aversive processing on instrumental behavior. The neural effects raise the possibility that this reflects deficient transfer of aversive Pavlovian inhibitory biases onto neural systems that implement instrumental action, including the caudate nucleus.

How reliable are amygdala findings in psychopathy? A systematic review of MRI studies

The amygdala is a key component in predominant neural circuitry models of psychopathy. Yet, after two decades of neuroimaging research on psychopathy, the reproducibility of amygdala findings is questionable. We systematically reviewed MRI studies (81 of adults, 53 of juveniles) to determine the consistency of amygdala findings across studies, as well as within specific types of experimental tasks, community versus forensic populations, and the lowest- versus highest-powered studies. Three primary findings emerged. First, the majority of studies found null relationships between psychopathy and amygdala structure and function, even in the context of theoretically relevant tasks. Second, findings of reduced amygdala activity were more common in studies with low compared to high statistical power. Third, the majority of peak coordinates of reduced amygdala activity did not fall primarily within the anatomical bounds of the amygdala. Collectively, these findings demonstrate significant gaps in the empirical support for the theorized role of the amygdala in psychopathy and indicate the need for novel research perspectives and approaches in this field.

Sex Moderates Reward- and Loss-Related Neural Correlates of Triarchic-Model Traits and Antisocial Behavior

Abnormalities in responses to reward and loss are implicated in the etiology of antisocial behavior and psychopathic traits. While there is evidence for sex differences in neural response to reward and loss, it remains unclear how sex differences may moderate links between these neural responses and the phenotypic expression of antisocial behavior and psychopathic traits. This study examined sex differences in associations of neural response to reward and loss with antisocial personality symptoms and psychopathic traits. Functional neuroimaging data were collected during a monetary incentive delay task from 158 participants. Among males, during loss anticipation, activation in the left nucleus accumbens was negatively associated with antisocial behavior. Among females, during loss feedback, activation in the left nucleus accumbens and left amygdala was negatively associated with antisocial behavior. These results suggest that phenotypic sex differences in psychopathic traits and antisocial behavior may in part be attributable to different etiological pathways.

Distinct neural signatures of schizotypy and psychopathy during visual word-nonword recognition

Previous behavioural data indicate lower word-nonword recognition accuracy in association with a high level of positive schizotypy, psychopathy, or motor impulsivity traits, each with some unique contribution, in the general population. This study aimed to examine the neural underpinnings of these associations using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a volunteer sample. Twenty-two healthy English-speaking adults completed self-report measures of schizotypy (Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences [O-LIFE]), psychopathy (Triarchic Psychopathy Measure [TriPM]), and impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale [BIS-11]) and underwent whole-brain fMRI while performing a lexical decision task (LDT) featuring high and low-frequency words, real nonwords, and pseudohomophones. Higher positive schizotypy (Unusual Experiences) was associated with lower cerebellum activity during identification of low-frequency words (over real nonwords). Higher Boldness (fearless dominance) and Meanness (callous aggression) facets of psychopathy were associated with lower striatal and posterior cingulate activity when identifying nonwords over words. Higher Motor Impulsivity was associated with lower activity in the fusiform (bilaterally), inferior frontal (right-sided), and temporal gyri (bilaterally) across all stimuli-types over resting baseline. Positive schizotypy, psychopathy, and impulsivity traits influence word-nonword recognition through distinct neurocognitive mechanisms. Positive schizotypy and psychopathy appear to influence LDT performance through brain areas that play only a supportive (cerebellum) or indirect role in reading-related skills. The negative association between Motor Impulsivity and activations typically found for phonological processing and automatic word identification indicates a reduced bilateral integration of the meaning and sound of mental word representations, and inability to select the appropriate outputs, in impulsive individuals.

The importance of an exaggerated attention bottleneck for understanding psychopathy

The psychopath has long captured the imagination. A name such as Ted Bundy evokes a morbid curiosity. The crimes committed by Bundy are so cruel that it is hard to imagine how someone could do such things. In this review we discuss evidence that exaggeration in an attention bottleneck is one mechanism that makes it possible for psychopathic individuals to be adept at focusing on a single stimulus feature or goal but struggle to process multiple streams of information simultaneously. This exaggeration may partly explain the behavioral, affective, and social deficits that are apparent among psychopathic individuals. Further research on this attentional mechanism may promote a science that adequately captures the complexity of psychopathic behavior and offers new avenues for intervention.

Psychopathy in women: insights from neuroscience and ways forward for research

Psychopathy is a severe form of personality disturbance, resulting in a detrimental impact on individuals, healthcare systems, and society as a whole. Until relatively recently, most research in psychopathy has focused on male samples, not least because of its link with criminal behavior and the large proportion of violent crime committed by men. However, psychopathy in women also leads to considerable problems at an individual and societal level, including substance misuse, poor treatment outcomes, and contribution to ever-increasing numbers of female prisoners. Despite this, due to relative neglect, most research into adult female psychopathy is underpowered and outdated. We argue that the field needs revitalizing, with a focus on the developmental nature of the condition and neurocognitive research. Recent work international consortia into conduct disorder in female youth-a precursor of psychopathy in female adults-gives cause for optimism. Here, we outline key strategies for enriching research in this important field with contemporary approaches to other psychiatric conditions.

DAT1 polymorphism associated with poor decision-making in males with antisocial personality disorder and high psychopathic traits

Studies suggest that abnormalities of the dopaminergic system underlie decision-making deficits, a hallmark of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and psychopathy. The dopamine transporter gene (DAT1) is of particular interest due to a polymorphism that controls dopamine transporter (DAT) activity. However, the association between DAT1 genotypes and decision-making in ASPD has never been studied. The current study investigated the effect of DAT1 genotype on decision-making, as measured by the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), in ASPD and healthy controls. A total of 17 participants with ASPD and 16 healthy control participants without ASPD were sampled. The Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised and the IGT were administered to all participants. All participants provided blood samples for genotyping. Data revealed a novel interaction effect between DAT1 genotype and diagnosis, whereby ASPD participants with low DAT activity genotypes performed significantly worse on the IGT and selected from disadvantageous decks more often, whereas the low DAT activity genotype in the healthy control group was associated with better performance on the IGT, and they selected from disadvantageous decks less often. We demonstrate, for the first time, that low DAT activity genotypes in ASPD with high psychopathic traits contribute to poor decision-making.

Psychopathic traits and reinforcement learning under acute stress

OBJECTIVE

Individuals with high levels of psychopathic traits are often characterized by aberrant reinforcement learning. This type of learning, which implicates making choices that maximize rewards and minimize punishments, may be affected by acute stress. However, how acute stress affects reinforcement learning in individuals with different levels of psychopathic traits is not well-understood. Here, we investigated whether and how individual differences in psychopathic traits modulated the impact of acute stress on reward and punishment learning.

METHOD

Sixty-two male participants from a university sample completed the Self-Report Psychopathy-Short Form scale and performed a reinforcement-learning task involving monetary gains and losses whilst under acute stress and control conditions.

RESULTS

Individual differences in psychopathic traits modulated the impact of acute stress on behavioral performance toward obtaining gains, but not toward avoiding losses. As levels of psychopathic traits increased, the impairing effect of acute stress on reward learning decreased. Specifically, acute stress impaired performance toward seeking gains to a larger extent in individuals with lower levels of psychopathic traits than in individuals with higher levels of these traits.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study indicates that psychopathic traits modulate the impact of acute stress on reward learning.

Functional MRI findings in personality disorders: A review

Personality disorders (PDs) have a prevalence of approximately 10% in the United States, translating to over 30 million people affected in just one country. The true prevalence of these disorders may be even higher, as the paucity of objective diagnostic criteria could be leading to underdiagnosis. Because little is known about the underlying neuropathologies of these disorders, patients are diagnosed using subjective criteria and treated nonspecifically. To better understand the neural aberrancies responsible for these patients' symptoms, a review of functional MRI literature was performed. The findings reveal that each PD is characterized by a unique set of activation changes corresponding to individual structures or specific neural networks. While unique patterns of neural activity are distinguishable within each PD, aberrations of the limbic/paralimbic structures and default mode network are noted across several of them. In addition to identifying valuable activation patterns, this review reveals a void in research pertaining to paranoid, schizoid, histrionic, narcissistic, and dependent PDs. By delineating patterns in PD neuropathology, we can more effectively direct future research efforts toward enhancing objective diagnostic techniques and developing targeted treatment modalities. Furthermore, understanding why patients are manifesting certain symptoms can advance clinical awareness and improve patient outcomes.

Explaining Individual Differences in Advantageous Inequity Aversion by Social-Affective Trait Dimensions and Family Environment

Humans are averse to both having less (i.e., disadvantageous inequity aversion [IA]) and having more than others (i.e., advantageous IA). However, the social-affective traits that drive individual differences in IA are not well understood. Here, by combining a modified dictator game and a computational model, we found in a sample of incarcerated adolescents ( N = 67) that callous-unemotional traits were specifically associated with low advantageous but not disadvantageous IA. We replicated and extended the finding in a large-scale university student sample ( N = 2,250) by adopting a dimensional approach to social-affective trait measures. We showed that advantageous IA was strongly and negatively associated with a trait dimension characterized by callousness and lack of social emotions (e.g., guilt and compassion). A supportive family environment negatively correlated with this trait dimension and positively with advantageous IA. These results identify a core set of social-affective dimensions specifically associated with advantageous IA.

Psychopathy

Psychopathy is a personality disorder characterized by a constellation of affective, interpersonal, lifestyle and antisocial features whose antecedents can be identified in a subgroup of young people showing severe antisocial behaviour. The prevalence of psychopathy in the general population is thought to be ~1%, but is up to 25% in prisoners. The aetiology of psychopathy is complex, with contributions of both genetic and environmental risk factors, and gene-environment interactions and correlations. Psychopathy is characterized by structural and functional brain abnormalities in cortical (such as the prefrontal and insular cortices) and subcortical (for example, the amygdala and striatum) regions leading to neurocognitive disruption in emotional responsiveness, reinforcement-based decision-making and attention. Although no effective treatment exists for adults with psychopathy, preliminary intervention studies targeting key neurocognitive disturbances have shown promising results. Given that psychopathy is often comorbid with other psychiatric disorders and increases the risk of physical health problems, educational and employment failure, accidents and criminality, the identification of children and young people at risk for this personality disorder and preventative work are important. Indeed, interventions that target the antecedents of psychopathic features in children and adolescents have been found to be effective.

Interdependent Neural Correlates of Reward and Punishment Sensitivity During Rewarded Action and Inhibition of Action

Imaging studies have distinguished the brain correlates of approach and avoidance behaviors and suggested the influence of individual differences in trait sensitivity to reward (SR) and punishment (SP) on these neural processes. Theoretical work of reinforcement sensitivity postulates that SR and SP may interdependently regulate behavior. Here, we examined the distinct and interrelated neural substrates underlying rewarded action versus inhibition of action in relation to SR and SP as evaluated by the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire. Forty-nine healthy adults performed a reward go/no-go task with approximately 2/3 go and 1/3 no-go trials. Correct go and no-go responses were rewarded and incorrect responses were penalized. The results showed that SR and SP modulated rewarded go and no-go, respectively, both by recruiting the rostral anterior cingulate cortex and left middle frontal gyrus (rACC/left MFG). Importantly, SR and SP influenced these regional activations in opposite directions, thus exhibiting an antagonistic relationship as suggested by the reinforcement sensitivity theory. Furthermore, mediation analysis revealed that heightened SR contributed to higher rewarded go success rate via enhanced rACC/left MFG activity. The findings demonstrate interrelated neural correlates of SR and SP to support the diametric processes of behavioral approach and avoidance.

Response-locked component of error monitoring in psychopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of error-related negativity/positivity

Evidence suggests that psychopathic individuals display difficulties to adapt their behavior in accordance with the demands of the environment and show altered performance monitoring. Studies investigating the error-related negativity (ERN) and the error-positivity (Pe) as electrophysiological markers of error monitoring reported contradictory results for this population. To explain these discrepancies, we hypothesized that psychopathy dimensions influence electrophysiological outcomes. We predicted that individuals with impulsive-antisocial features would display abnormal ERN compared to individuals with interpersonal-affective features. A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies investigating ERN and Pe components were conducted. A factorial analysis was undertaken to investigate the role of psychopathy dimensions on ERN and Pe. Compared to controls, psychopathic individuals (n = 940) showed a reduced ERN and Pe amplitude. The factorial analysis indicates a dissociation regarding the construct of psychopathy. The models reported that psychopathic individuals related specifically to the interpersonal-affective dimension displayed normal ERN component and efficient error-monitoring, while psychopathic individuals with a marked impulsive-antisocial dimension display a decreased ERN component and altered performance monitoring.

Neurofunctional abnormalities in antisocial spectrum: A meta-analysis of fMRI studies on Five distinct neurocognitive research domains

Past functional magnetic resonance imaging on antisocial subjects have shown important inconsistencies and methodological problems (e.g. heterogeneity in fMRI tasks domain, small sample sizes, analyses on regions-of-interest). We aimed to conduct a meta-analysis of whole-brain fMRI studies on antisocial individuals based on distinct neurocognitive domains. A voxel-based meta-analysis via permutation of subject images (SDM-PSI) was performed on studies using fMRI tasks in the domains of acute threat response, cognitive control, social cognition, punishment and reward processing. Overall, 83 studies were retrieved. Using a liberal statistical threshold, several key regions were identified in the meta-analysis, principally during acute threat response, social cognition and cognitive control tasks. Additionally, we observed that the right amygdala was negatively associated with both callous-unemotional traits and severity of antisocial behaviors, in meta-analyses on region-of-interest and on dimensional studies, respectively. The findings show that the most prominent functional brain deficits arise during acute threat response, social cognitions and cognitive control neurocognitive domains. These results provide substantial insights for our understanding of aberrant neural processing across specific contexts.

Morphology of the criminal brain: gray matter reductions are linked to antisocial behavior in offenders

Aggression and psychopathy are multifaceted conditions determined interpersonal and antisocial factors. Only a few studies analyze the link between these separate factors and specific brain morphology distinctively. A voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis was performed on 27 violent offenders and 27 controls aiming to associate sub-features of aggressive and psychopathic behavior with specific gray matter volumes. Trait aggression was assessed using two self-report tests (Aggression Questionnaire, AQ, and Reactive-Proactive-Aggression Questionnaire, RPQ) and psychopathy with the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). Total and sub-scale scores of these tests were correlated to the brain morphometry of the offenders group in separate analyses. It was found that psychopathic behavior was negatively correlated with prefrontal gray matter volume and that this result was primarily driven by the antisocial behavior sub-scale of the PCL-R. Furthermore, less gray matter in right superior frontal and left inferior parietal regions with increasing antisocial behavior could be observed. One cluster comprising the right middle and superior temporal gyrus was negatively correlated with both, reactive aggression and antisocial behavior. These results outline (1) the importance of distinctively analyzing sub-features that contribute to aggressive and psychopathic behavior, given that the negative correlation of psychopathy global scores with prefrontal volume was driven by one single facet of the PCL-R scale (antisocial behavior). Moreover, these results indicate (2) fronto-temporo-parietal network deficits in antisocial, criminal offenders, with a particular strong effect in the temporal lobe.

Biocognitive Classification of Antisocial Individuals Without Explanatory Reductionism

Effective and specifically targeted social and therapeutic responses for antisocial personality disorders and psychopathy are scarce. Some authors maintain that this scarcity should be overcome by revising current syndrome-based classifications of these conditions and devising better biocognitive classifications of antisocial individuals. The inspiration for the latter classifications has been embedded in the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) approach. RDoC-type approaches to psychiatric research aim at transforming diagnosis, provide valid measures of disorders, aid clinical practice, and improve health outcomes by integrating the data on the genetic, neural, cognitive, and affective systems underlying psychiatric conditions. In the first part of the article, we discuss the benefits of such approaches compared with the dominant syndrome-based approaches and review recent attempts at building biocognitive classifications of antisocial individuals. Other researchers, however, have objected that biocognitive approaches in psychiatry are committed to an untenable form of explanatory reductionism. Explanatory reductionism is the view that psychological disorders can be exclusively categorized and explained in terms of their biological causes. In the second part of the article, we argue that RDoC-like approaches need not be associated with explanatory reductionism. Moreover, we argue how this is the case for a specific biocognitive approach to classifying antisocial individuals.

Dysfunctional neurocognition in individuals with clinically significant psychopathic traits

The main goal of this review is to consider the main forms of dysfunctional neurocognition seen in individuals with clinically significant psychopathic traits (ie, reduced guilt/empathy and increased impulsive/antisocial behavior). A secondary goal is to examine the extent to which these forms of dysfunction are seen in both adults with psychopathic traits and adolescents with clinically significant antisocial behavior that may also involve callous-unemotional traits (reduced guilt/empathy). The two main forms of neurocognition considered are emotional responding (to distress/pain cues and emotional stimuli more generally) and reward-related processing. Highly related forms of neurocognition, the response to drug cues and moral judgments, are also discussed. It is concluded that dysfunction in emotional responsiveness and moral judgments confers risk for aggression across adolescence and into adulthood. However, reduced reward-related processing, including to drug cues, is only consistently found in adolescents with clinically significant antisocial behavior, not adults with psychopathy.


Functional neural correlates of psychopathy: a meta-analysis of MRI data

Neuroimaging studies over the last two decades have begun to specify the neurobiological correlates of psychopathy, a personality disorder that is strongly related to criminal offending and recidivism. Despite the accumulation of neuroimaging studies of psychopathy, a clear and comprehensive picture of the disorder's neural correlates has yet to emerge. The current study is a meta-analysis of functional MRI studies of psychopathy. Multilevel kernel density analysis was used to identify consistent findings across 25 studies (460 foci) of task-related brain activity. Psychopathy was associated with increased task-related activity predominantly in midline cortical regions overlapping with the default mode network (dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate, and precuneus) as well as medial temporal lobe (including amygdala). Psychopathy was related to decreased task-related activity in a region of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex overlapping with the salience network. These findings challenge predominant theories of amygdala hypoactivity and highlight the potential role of hyperactivity in medial default mode network regions and hypoactivity in a key node of the salience network during task performance in psychopathy.

Punishment insensitivity emerges from impaired contingency detection, not aversion insensitivity or reward dominance

Our behaviour is shaped by its consequences - we seek rewards and avoid harm. It has been reported that individuals vary markedly in their avoidance of detrimental consequences, that is in their sensitivity to punishment. The underpinnings of this variability are poorly understood; they may be driven by differences in aversion sensitivity, motivation for reward, and/or instrumental control. We examined these hypotheses by applying several analysis strategies to the behaviour of rats (n = 48; 18 female) trained in a conditioned punishment task that permitted concurrent assessment of punishment, reward-seeking, and Pavlovian fear. We show that punishment insensitivity is a unique phenotype, unrelated to differences in reward-seeking and Pavlovian fear, and due to a failure of instrumental control. Subjects insensitive to punishment are afraid of aversive events, they are simply unable to change their behaviour to avoid them.

The contribution of brain imaging to the understanding of psychopathy

Psychopathy is a personality type characterized by both callous emotional dysfunction and deviant behavior that affects society in the form of actions that harm others. Historically, researchers have been concerned with seeking data and arguments to support a neurobiological foundation of psychopathy. In the past few years, increasing research has begun to reveal brain alterations putatively underlying the enigmatic psychopathic personality. In this review, we describe the brain anatomical and functional features that characterize psychopathy from a synthesis of available neuroimaging research and discuss how such brain anomalies may account for psychopathic behavior. The results are consistent in showing anatomical alterations involving primarily a ventral system connecting the anterior temporal lobe to anterior and ventral frontal areas, and a dorsal system connecting the medial frontal lobe to the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus complex and, in turn, to medial structures of the temporal lobe. Functional imaging data indicate that relevant emotional flow breakdown may occur in both these brain systems and suggest specific mechanisms via which emotion is anomalously integrated into cognition in psychopathic individuals during moral challenge. Directions for future research are delineated emphasizing, for instance, the relevance of further establishing the contribution of early life stress to a learned blockage of emotional self-exposure, and the potential role of androgenic hormones in the development of cortical anomalies.

A Systematic Literature Review of Neuroimaging of Psychopathic Traits

INTRODUCTION

Core psychopathy is characterized by grandiosity, callousness, manipulativeness, and lack of remorse, empathy, and guilt. It is often comorbid with conduct disorder and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Psychopathy is present in forensic as well as prison and general populations. In recent years, an increasing amount of neuroimaging studies has been conducted in order to elucidate the obscure neurobiological etiology of psychopathy. The studies have yielded heterogenous results, and no consensus has been reached.

AIMS

This study systematically reviewed and qualitatively summarized functional and structural neuroimaging studies conducted on individuals with psychopathic traits. Furthermore, this study aimed to evaluate whether the findings from different MRI modalities could be reconciled from a neuroanatomical perspective.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

After the search and auditing processes, 118 neuroimaging studies were included in this systematic literature review. The studies consisted of structural, functional, and diffusion tensor MRI studies.

RESULTS

Psychopathy was associated with numerous neuroanatomical abnormalities. Structurally, gray matter anomalies were seen in frontotemporal, cerebellar, limbic, and paralimbic regions. Associated gray matter volume (GMV) reductions were most pronounced particularly in most of the prefrontal cortex, and temporal gyri including the fusiform gyrus. Also decreased GMV of the amygdalae and hippocampi as well the cingulate and insular cortices were associated with psychopathy, as well as abnormal morphology of the hippocampi, amygdala, and nucleus accumbens. Functionally, psychopathy was associated with dysfunction of the default mode network, which was also linked to poor moral judgment as well as deficient metacognitive and introspective abilities. Second, reduced white matter integrity in the uncinate fasciculus and dorsal cingulum were associated with core psychopathy. Third, emotional detachment was associated with dysfunction of the posterior cerebellum, the human mirror neuron system and the Theory of Mind denoting lack of empathy and persistent failure in integrating affective information into cognition.

CONCLUSIONS

Structural and functional aberrancies involving the limbic and paralimbic systems including reduced integrity of the uncinate fasciculus appear to be associated with core psychopathic features. Furthermore, this review points towards the idea that ASPD and psychopathy might stem from divergent biological processes.

Evaluation of Different Types of Filters in Magnetic Resonance Imaging Using Compressive Sensing with Pre-Filtering

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines allow one to acquire medical images based on static and variable magnetic fields, in such a way as to reveal the interior of human organs. To acquire images with good quality, MRI machines often demand a high number of measurements, which often require long acquisition times. Therefore, an important topic of research consists of developing acquisition methods that reduce the number of measurements and, consequently, the time required to acquire an MRI image. In this work, we use compressive sensing techniques and pre-filtering strategies to reduce the number of MRI measurements. We empirically tested a large set of filter banks to determine which filter settings provide the best image quality. When compared with state-of-the-art filters and to the non-uniform Fourier transform reconstruction, we have been able to increase the quality of the generated images while reducing the required number of radial lines and, therefore, of acquisition samples.

Neural networks of aggression: ALE meta-analyses on trait and elicited aggression

There is considerable evidence that emotion dysregulation and self-control impairments lead to escalated aggression in populations with psychiatric disorders. However, convergent quantitative evidence on the neural network explaining how aggression arises is still lacking. To address this gap, peak activations extracted from extant functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies were synthesized through coordinate-based meta-analyses. A systematic search in the PubMed database was conducted and 26 fMRI studies met the inclusion criteria. Three separate activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analyses were performed on (1) individual differences in trait aggression (TA) studies, (2) individual differences in TA studies examining executive functioning, and (3) elicited aggression (EA) studies across fMRI behavioral paradigms. Ensuing clusters from ALE meta-analyses were further treated as seeds for follow-up investigations on consensus connectivity networks (CCN) delineated from meta-analytic connectivity modeling (MACM) and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) to further characterize their physiological functions. Finally, we obtained a data-driven functional characterization of the ensuing clusters and their networks. This approach offers a boarder view of the ensuing clusters using a boarder network perspective. In TA, aberrant brain activations were found only in the right precuneus. Follow-up analyses revealed that the precuneus seed was within the frontal-parietal network (FPN) associated with action inhibition, visuospatial processing and higher-level cognition. With further restricting to only experiments examining executive functioning, convergent evidence was found in the right rolandic operculum (RO), midcingulate cortex (MCC), precentral gyrus (PrG) and precuneus. Follow-up analyses suggested that RO, MCC and PrG may belong to a common cognitive control network, while the MCC seems to be the hub of this network. In EA, we only revealed a convergent region in the left postcentral gyrus. Follow-up CCN analyses and functional characterizations suggested that this region may also belong to the same cognitive control network found in the TA sub-analysis. Our results suggested that escalated aggression arises from abnormal precuneus activities within the FPN, disrupting the recruitment of other large-scale networks such as adaptive cognitive control network. Consequently, failure to recruit such a network results in an inability to generate adaptive responses, increasing the likelihood of acting aggressively.

A systematic review examining the link between psychopathic personality traits, antisocial behavior, and neural reactivity during reward and loss processing

Antisocial Behavior (AB) has a tremendous societal cost, motivating investigation of the mechanisms that cause individuals to engage and persist in AB. Recent theories of AB emphasize the role of reward-related neural processes in the etiology of severe and chronic forms of AB, including antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy. However, no systematic reviews have evaluated the hypothesis that reward-related neural dysfunction is an etiologic factor in AB in adult samples. Moreover, it is unclear whether AB is linked to a hyper- or hyposensitive reward system and whether AB is related to neural sensitivity to losses. Thus, the current systematic review examined whether AB (including antisocial personality disorder) and psychopathic traits are related to neural reactivity during reward processing, loss processing, or both. Our review identified seven task-based functional MRI or functional connectivity studies that examined associations between neural response to reward and loss, and dimensional and categorical measures of adult AB and/or psychopathy. Across studies, there was evidence that AB is associated with variability in neural functioning during both reward and loss processing. In particular, impulsive-antisocial traits appeared to be specifically associated with hypersensitivity in the ventral striatum during the anticipation, but not the receipt, of rewards. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Associations of Psychopathic Traits With Local and Global Brain Network Topology in Young Adult Women

BACKGROUND

Psychopathic traits vary dimensionally in the population and are associated with multiple negative outcomes. The impaired integration theory (IIT) proposes that psychopathic traits are associated with abnormal neural network topology, such that disturbed integration of neural networks results in a self-perpetuating impairment in rapid integration and learning from multiple components of information. The IIT is based on findings from male offenders presenting high scores on all psychopathic traits. The present study investigated whether IIT predictions of topology abnormalities were associated with psychopathic traits, measured dimensionally, in young adult women with subsyndromal scores.

METHODS

Seventy-three women, with an average age of 25 years, were assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised and completed resting-state magnetic resonance imaging. Preprocessed time series from 90 anatomical regions were extracted to form connectivity matrices and used to calculate network topology based on graph theory. Correlations between total psychopathy and factor scores with both the raw connectivity matrix and global and local graph theory measures were computed.

RESULTS

Total psychopathy scores and behavioral factor scores were related to connectivity between several pairs of regions, primarily limbic/paralimbic. Psychopathic traits were not associated with global topology measures. Topology abnormalities, robust across network formation thresholds, were found in nodes of the default mode network and in hubs connecting several resting-state networks.

CONCLUSIONS

IIT predictions of abnormal topology of hubs and default mode network nodes with dimensionally measured psychopathic traits were confirmed in a sample of young women. Regional abnormalities, accompanied by preserved global topology, may underlie context-specific abnormal information processing and integration.

Alterations of Brain Functional Architecture Associated with Psychopathic Traits in Male Adolescents with Conduct Disorder

Psychopathic traits of conduct disorder (CD) have a core callous-unemotional (CU) component and an impulsive-antisocial component. Previous task-driven fMRI studies have suggested that psychopathic traits are associated with dysfunction of several brain areas involved in different cognitive functions (e.g., empathy, reward, and response inhibition etc.), but the relationship between psychopathic traits and intrinsic brain functional architecture has not yet been explored in CD. Using a holistic brain-wide functional connectivity analysis, this study delineated the alterations in brain functional networks in patients with conduct disorder. Compared with matched healthy controls, we found decreased anti-synchronization between the fronto-parietal network (FPN) and default mode network (DMN), and increased intra-network synchronization within the frontothalamic-basal ganglia, right frontoparietal, and temporal/limbic/visual networks in CD patients. Correlation analysis showed that the weakened FPN-DMN interaction was associated with CU traits, while the heightened intra-network functional connectivity was related to impulsivity traits in CD patients. Our findings suggest that decoupling of cognitive control (FPN) with social understanding of others (DMN) is associated with the CU traits, and hyper-functions of the reward and motor inhibition systems elevate impulsiveness in CD.

Representational Uncertainty in the Brain During Threat Conditioning and the Link With Psychopathic Traits

BACKGROUND

Psychopathy has repeatedly been linked to disturbed associative learning from aversive events (i.e., threat conditioning). Optimal threat conditioning requires the generation of internal representations of stimulus-outcome contingencies and the rate with which these may change. Because mental representations are imperfect, there will always be uncertainty about the accuracy of representations in the brain (i.e., representational uncertainty). However, it remains unclear 1) to what extent threat conditioning is susceptible to different types of uncertainty in representations about contingencies during the acquisition phase and 2) how representational uncertainty relates to psychopathic features.

METHODS

A computational model was applied to functional neuroimaging data to estimate uncertainty in representations of contingencies (CoUn) and the rate of change of contingencies (RUn), respectively, from brain activation during the acquisition phase of threat conditioning in 132 adolescents at risk of developing antisocial personality profiles. Next, the associations between these two types of representational uncertainty and psychopathy-related dimensions were examined.

RESULTS

The left and right amygdala activations were associated with CoUn, while the bilateral insula and the right amygdala were associated with RUn. Different patterns of relationships were found between psychopathic features and each type of uncertainty. Callous-unemotional traits and impulsive-irresponsible traits uniquely predicted increased CoUn, while only impulsive-irresponsible traits predicted increased RUn.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that 1) the insula and amygdala differ in how these regions are affected by different types of representational uncertainty during threat conditioning and 2) CoUn and RUn have different patterns of relationships with psychopathy-related dimensions.

Classification and treatment of antisocial individuals: From behavior to biocognition

Antisocial behavior is a heterogeneous construct that can be divided into subtypes, such as antisocial personality and psychopathy. The adverse consequences of antisocial behavior produce great burden for the perpetrators, victims, family members, and for society at-large. The pervasiveness of antisocial behavior highlights the importance of precisely characterizing subtypes of antisocial individuals and identifying specific factors that are etiologically related to such behaviors to inform the development of targeted treatments. The goals of the current review are (1) to briefly summarize research on the operationalization and assessment of antisocial personality and psychopathy; (2) to provide an overview of several existing treatments with the potential to influence antisocial personality and psychopathy; and (3) to present an approach that integrates and uses biological and cognitive measures as starting points to more precisely characterize and treat these individuals. A focus on integrating factors at multiple levels of analysis can uncover person-specific characteristics and highlight potential targets for treatment to alleviate the burden caused by antisocial behavior.

Dysfunctional error-related processing in incarcerated youth with elevated psychopathic traits

Adult psychopathic offenders show an increased propensity towards violence, impulsivity, and recidivism. A subsample of youth with elevated psychopathic traits represent a particularly severe subgroup characterized by extreme behavioral problems and comparable neurocognitive deficits as their adult counterparts, including perseveration deficits. Here, we investigate response-locked event-related potential (ERP) components (the error-related negativity [ERN/Ne] related to early error-monitoring processing and the error-related positivity [Pe] involved in later error-related processing) in a sample of incarcerated juvenile male offenders (n=100) who performed a response inhibition Go/NoGo task. Psychopathic traits were assessed using the Hare Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV). The ERN/Ne and Pe were analyzed with classic windowed ERP components and principal component analysis (PCA). Using linear regression analyses, PCL:YV scores were unrelated to the ERN/Ne, but were negatively related to Pe mean amplitude. Specifically, the PCL:YV Facet 4 subscale reflecting antisocial traits emerged as a significant predictor of reduced amplitude of a subcomponent underlying the Pe identified with PCA. This is the first evidence to suggest a negative relationship between adolescent psychopathy scores and Pe mean amplitude.