1
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Deming P, Griffiths S, Jalava J, Koenigs M, Larsen RR. Psychopathy and medial frontal cortex: A systematic review reveals predominantly null relationships. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024:105904. [PMID: 39343080 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 08/20/2024] [Accepted: 09/22/2024] [Indexed: 10/01/2024]
Abstract
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 1,573 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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Deming
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States.
| | - Stephanie Griffiths
- Department of Psychology, Okanagan College, Penticton, BC, Canada; Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jarkko Jalava
- Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, Okanagan College, Penticton, BC, Canada
| | - Michael Koenigs
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Rasmus Rosenberg Larsen
- Forensic Science Program and Department of Philosophy, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
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2
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Seara-Cardoso A. The "(a)moral brain": When things go wrong. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 197:107-117. [PMID: 37633704 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-821375-9.00008-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
In the past decades, a growing interest of neuroscience on moral judgment and decision-making has shed new light on the neurobiological correlates of human morality. It is now understood that moral cognition relies on a complex integration of cognitive and affective information processes that implicate a widely distributed brain network. Moral cognition relies on the coordination of several domain-general processes, subserved by domain-general neural networks, rather than a specific moral cognition system subserved by a specific neural network. In this chapter, we will first briefly review what is currently known about the "moral brain," i.e., the network of brain regions consistently implicated in studies of moral cognition, which include decision-making, affective processing, mentalizing, and perspective-taking processing regions. We will then review the evidence of the impairments found in this network in individuals with psychopathy, a condition whose characteristics indicate profound disturbances in appropriate moral processing. We will present data from neuroimaging studies with forensic/clinical, general population, as well as child and adolescent samples, which seem to converge to support the notion that the moral dysfunction observed in individuals with psychopathy may stem from a disruption of affective components of moral processing rather than from an inability to compute moral judgments per se.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Seara-Cardoso
- Psychology Research Centre, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
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3
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Brazil IA. Social-affective functioning and learning in psychopathy. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 197:75-86. [PMID: 37633720 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-821375-9.00014-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inti A Brazil
- Radboud University, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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4
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Xu Z, Zhu R, Zhang S, Zhang S, Liang Z, Mai X, Liu C. Mortality salience enhances neural activities related to guilt and shame when recalling the past. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:5145-5162. [PMID: 35102376 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Mortality salience (MS) influences cognition and behavior. However, its effect on emotion (especially moral emotions) and the underlying neural correlates are unclear. We investigated how MS priming modulated guilt and shame in a later recall task using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The behavioral results indicated that MS increased self-reported guilt but not shame. The neural results showed that MS strengthened neural activities related to the psychological processes of guilt and shame. Specifically, for both guilt and shame, MS increased activation in a region associated with self-referential processing (ventral medial prefrontal cortex). For guilt but not shame, MS increased the activation of regions associated with cognitive control (orbitofrontal cortex) and emotion processing (amygdala). For shame but not guilt, MS decreased brain functional connectivity related to self-referential processing. A direct comparison showed that MS more strongly decreased a functional connectivity related to self-referential processing in the shame than in the guilt condition. Additionally, the activation of insula during MS priming was partly predictive of neural activities related to guilt and shame in the subsequent recall task. Our study sheds light on the psychological and neural mechanisms of MS effects on moral emotions and provides theoretical insights for enriching terror management theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhua Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.,Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Ruida Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.,Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.,Business School, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Shen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.,Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Sihui Zhang
- Department of General Adult Psychiatry, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg 69115, Germany
| | - Zilu Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.,Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xiaoqin Mai
- Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China
| | - Chao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.,Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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5
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Social Economic Decision-Making and Psychopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 143:104966. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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6
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Deming P, Heilicher M, Koenigs M. How reliable are amygdala findings in psychopathy? A systematic review of MRI studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 142:104875. [PMID: 36116578 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Deming
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Mickela Heilicher
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Blvd., Madison, WI 53719, USA
| | - Michael Koenigs
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Blvd., Madison, WI 53719, USA
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7
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Lythe KE, Gethin JA, Workman CI, Lambon Ralph MA, Deakin JFW, Moll J, Zahn R. Subgenual activation and the finger of blame: individual differences and depression vulnerability. Psychol Med 2022; 52:1560-1568. [PMID: 32972471 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291720003372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Subgenual cingulate cortex (SCC) responses to self-blaming emotion-evoking stimuli were previously found in individuals prone to self-blame with and without a history of major depressive disorder (MDD). This suggested SCC activation reflects self-blaming emotions such as guilt, which are central to models of MDD vulnerability. METHOD Here, we re-examined these hypotheses in an independent larger sample. A total of 109 medication-free participants (70 with remitted MDD and 39 healthy controls) underwent fMRI whilst judging self- and other-blaming emotion-evoking statements. They also completed validated questionnaires of proneness to self-blaming emotions including those related to internal (autonomy) and external (sociotropy) evaluation, which were subjected to factor analysis. RESULTS An interaction between group (remitted MDD v. Control) and condition (self- v. other-blame) was observed in the right SCC (BA24). This was due to higher SCC signal for self-blame in remitted MDD and higher other-blame-selective activation in Control participants. Across the whole sample, extracted SCC activation cluster averages for self- v. other-blame were predicted by a regression model which included the reliable components derived from our factor analysis of measures of proneness to self-blaming emotions. Interestingly, this prediction was solely driven by autonomy/self-criticism, and adaptive guilt factors, with no effect of sociotropy/dependency. CONCLUSIONS Despite confirming the prediction of SCC activation in self-blame-prone individuals and those vulnerable to MDD, our results suggest that SCC activation reflects blame irrespective of where it is directed rather than selective for self. We speculate that self-critical individuals have more extended SCC representations for blame in the context of self-agency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen E Lythe
- The University of Manchester & Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, School of Psychological Sciences, Neuroscience and Aphasia Research Unit, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Jennifer A Gethin
- The University of Manchester & Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, School of Psychological Sciences, Neuroscience and Aphasia Research Unit, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Clifford I Workman
- The University of Manchester & Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, School of Psychological Sciences, Neuroscience and Aphasia Research Unit, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
- The University of Manchester & Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Institute of Brain, Behaviour and Mental Health, Neuroscience & Psychiatry Unit, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Matthew A Lambon Ralph
- The University of Manchester & Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, School of Psychological Sciences, Neuroscience and Aphasia Research Unit, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, 15 Chaucer Road, Cambridge, CB2 7EF, UK
| | - John F W Deakin
- The University of Manchester & Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Institute of Brain, Behaviour and Mental Health, Neuroscience & Psychiatry Unit, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Jorge Moll
- Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience Unit, D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), 22280-080 - Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Roland Zahn
- The University of Manchester & Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, School of Psychological Sciences, Neuroscience and Aphasia Research Unit, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
- Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience Unit, D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), 22280-080 - Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, Centre for Affective Disorders, King's College London, London, SE5 8AZ, UK
- National Service for Affective Disorders, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 8AZ, UK
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8
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Mendez MF. THE IMPLICATIONS OF FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA FOR BRAIN DYSFUNCTION IN PSYCHOPATHY. Biol Psychol 2022; 171:108342. [PMID: 35487297 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how psychopathy compares with brain disease can help clarify its underlying mechanisms. This literature review is a broad overview of the neurobiology of psychopathic traits in comparison to behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), a disorder uniquely associated with criminal behavior. In addition to violation of social norms, both psychopathy and bvFTD result in impaired socioemotional perception and empathy, impulsivity, and altered moral judgment. Despite wide areas of decreased function in psychopathy, structural changes are primarily evident in amygdala and, to a lesser extent, anterior insula, whereas in bvFTD neuropathology involves a wider paralimbic region. In psychopathy, relatively intact medial prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices facilitate theory of mind and psychopathic traits such as deceitfulness and manipulation, bold fearlessness, and risk-taking behavior. In conclusion, many frontotemporal areas are hypoactive in psychopathy and bvFTD, but differences in dysfunctional connectivity in psychopathy vs. direct involvement in bvFTD potentially explain similarities and differences between these two conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario F Mendez
- Department of Neurology and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA); Neurology Service, Neurobehavior Unit, V.A. Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.
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9
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LaVarco A, Ahmad N, Archer Q, Pardillo M, Nunez Castaneda R, Minervini A, Keenan JP. Self-Conscious Emotions and the Right Fronto-Temporal and Right Temporal Parietal Junction. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12020138. [PMID: 35203902 PMCID: PMC8869976 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12020138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
For more than two decades, research focusing on both clinical and non-clinical populations has suggested a key role for specific regions in the regulation of self-conscious emotions. It is speculated that both the expression and the interpretation of self-conscious emotions are critical in humans for action planning and response, communication, learning, parenting, and most social encounters. Empathy, Guilt, Jealousy, Shame, and Pride are all categorized as self-conscious emotions, all of which are crucial components to one’s sense of self. There has been an abundance of evidence pointing to the right Fronto-Temporal involvement in the integration of cognitive processes underlying the expression of these emotions. Numerous regions within the right hemisphere have been identified including the right temporal parietal junction (rTPJ), the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and the inferior parietal lobule (IPL). In this review, we aim to investigate patient cases, in addition to clinical and non-clinical studies. We also aim to highlight these specific brain regions pivotal to the right hemispheric dominance observed in the neural correlates of such self-conscious emotions and provide the potential role that self-conscious emotions play in evolution.
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10
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Cheng Y, Chou J, Martínez RM, Fan YT, Chen C. Psychopathic traits mediate guilt-related anterior midcingulate activity under authority pressure. Sci Rep 2021; 11:14856. [PMID: 34290344 PMCID: PMC8295253 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94372-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Coercive power has different effects on individuals, and which were unable to be fully addressed in Milgram’s famous studies on obedience to authority. While some individuals exhibited high levels of guilt-related anxiety and refused orders to harm, others followed coercive orders throughout the whole event. The lack of guilt is a well-known characteristic of psychopathy, and recent evidence portrays psychopathic personalities on a continuum of clustered traits, while being pervasive in a significant proportion in the population. To investigate whether psychopathic traits better explain discrepancies in antisocial behavior under coercion, we applied a virtual obedience paradigm, in which an experimenter ordered subjects to press a handheld button to initiate successive actions that carry different moral consequences, during fMRI scanning. Psychopathic traits modulated the association between harming actions and guilt feelings on both behavioral and brain levels. This study sheds light on the individual variability in response to coercive power.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yawei Cheng
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University Hospital, Yilan, Taiwan.,Institute of Neuroscience and Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Education and Research, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Judith Chou
- Institute of Neuroscience and Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Róger Marcelo Martínez
- Graduate Institute of Injury Prevention and Control, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,School of Psychological Sciences, National Autonomous University of Honduras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
| | - Yang-Teng Fan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, Yuan Ze University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
| | - Chenyi Chen
- Graduate Institute of Injury Prevention and Control, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Research Center of Brain and Consciousness, Shuang-Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan. .,Graduate Institute of Mind, Brain and Consciousness, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Psychiatric Research Center, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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11
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Arbitration between insula and temporoparietal junction subserves framing-induced boosts in generosity during social discounting. Neuroimage 2021; 238:118211. [PMID: 34116152 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Generosity toward others declines across the perceived social distance to them. Here, participants chose between selfish and costly generous options in two conditions: in the gain frame, a generous choice yielded a gain to the other; in the loss frame, it entailed preventing the loss of a previous endowment to the other. Social discounting was reduced in the loss compared to the gain frame, implying increased generosity toward strangers. Using neuroimaging tools, we found that while activity in the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) was associated with generosity in the gain frame, the insular cortex was selectively recruited during generous choices in the loss frame. We provide support for a network-model according to which TPJ and insula differentially subserve generosity by modulating value signals in the VMPFC in a frame-dependent fashion. These results extend our understanding of the insula role in nudging prosocial behavior in humans.
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12
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Vasconcelos M, Viding E, Sebastian CL, Faria S, Almeida PR, Gonçalves ÓF, Gonçalves RA, Sampaio A, Seara-Cardoso A. Callous-Unemotional Traits Moderate Anticipated Guilt and Wrongness Judgments to Everyday Moral Transgressions in Adolescents. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:625328. [PMID: 33762977 PMCID: PMC7982950 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.625328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Callous-unemotional (CU) traits observed during childhood and adolescence are thought to be precursors of psychopathic traits in adulthood. Adults with high levels of psychopathic traits typically present antisocial behavior. Such behavior can be indicative of atypical moral processing. Evidence suggests that moral dysfunction in these individuals may stem from a disruption of affective components of moral processing rather than from an inability to compute moral judgments per se. No study to date has tested if the dissociation between affective and cognitive dimensions of moral processing linked to psychopathic traits in adulthood is also linked to CU traits during development. Here, 47 typically developing adolescents with varying levels of CU traits completed a novel, animated cartoon task depicting everyday moral transgressions and indicated how they would feel in such situations and how morally wrong the situations were. Adolescents with higher CU traits reported reduced anticipated guilt and wrongness appraisals of the transgressions. However, our key finding was a significant interaction between CU traits and anticipated guilt in predicting wrongness judgments. The strength of the association between anticipated guilt and wrongness judgement was significantly weaker for those with higher levels of CU traits. This evidence extends our knowledge on the cognitive-affective processing deficits that may underlie moral dysfunction in youth who are at heightened risk for antisocial behavior and psychopathy in adulthood. Future longitudinal research is required to elucidate whether there is an increased dissociation between different components of moral processing from adolescence to adulthood for those with high psychopathic traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarida Vasconcelos
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory, Psychology Research Centre, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Essi Viding
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Susana Faria
- Department of Mathematics, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Pedro R. Almeida
- Faculty of Law, Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Crime Justice and Security, School of Criminology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Óscar F. Gonçalves
- Proaction Laboratory, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rui A. Gonçalves
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory, Psychology Research Centre, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- School of Psychology, Campus de Gualtar, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Adriana Sampaio
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory, Psychology Research Centre, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Ana Seara-Cardoso
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory, Psychology Research Centre, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
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13
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Deming P, Dargis M, Haas BW, Brook M, Decety J, Harenski C, Kiehl KA, Koenigs M, Kosson DS. Psychopathy is associated with fear-specific reductions in neural activity during affective perspective-taking. Neuroimage 2020; 223:117342. [PMID: 32898678 PMCID: PMC9831240 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Psychopathic individuals are notorious for their callous disregard for others' emotions. Prior research has linked psychopathy to deficits in affective mechanisms underlying empathy (e.g., affective sharing), yet research relating psychopathy to cognitive mechanisms underlying empathy (e.g., affective perspective-taking and Theory of Mind) requires further clarification. To elucidate the neurobiology of cognitive mechanisms of empathy in psychopathy, we administered an fMRI task and tested for global as well as emotion-specific deficits in affective perspective-taking. Adult male incarcerated offenders (N = 94) viewed images of two people interacting, with one individual's face obscured by a shape. Participants were cued to either identify the emotion of the obscured individual or identify the shape from one of two emotion or shape choices presented on each trial. Target emotions included anger, fear, happiness, sadness, and neutral. Contrary to predictions, psychopathy was unrelated to neural activity in the Affective Perspective-taking > Shape contrast. In line with predictions, psychopathy was negatively related to task accuracy during affective perspective-taking for fear, happiness, and sadness. Psychopathy was related to reduced hemodynamic activity exclusively during fear perspective-taking in several areas: left anterior insula extending into posterior orbitofrontal cortex, right precuneus, left superior parietal lobule, and left superior occipital cortex. Although much prior research has emphasized psychopathy-related abnormalities in affective mechanisms mediating empathy, current results add to growing evidence of psychopathy-related abnormalities in a cognitive mechanism related to empathy. These findings highlight brain regions that are hypoactive in psychopathy when explicitly processing another's fear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Deming
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1202 West Johnson St., Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Blvd., Madison, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Monika Dargis
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1202 West Johnson St., Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Blvd., Madison, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Brian W. Haas
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 125 Baldwin St., Athens, GA, United States
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Georgia, S150 Paul D. Coverdell Center, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Michael Brook
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 420 E Superior St., Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Jean Decety
- Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, 5848 South University Ave., Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Carla Harenski
- The Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical, 1101 Yale Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
| | - Kent A. Kiehl
- The Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical, 1101 Yale Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
| | - Michael Koenigs
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Blvd., Madison, Wisconsin, United States
| | - David S. Kosson
- Department of Psychology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
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14
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Bland A, Schei T, Roiser J, Mehta M, Zahn R, Seara-Cardoso A, Viding E, Sahakian B, Robbins T, Elliott R. Agency and intentionality-dependent experiences of moral emotions. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.110125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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15
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Workman CI, Yoder KJ, Decety J. The Dark Side of Morality - Neural Mechanisms Underpinning Moral Convictions and Support for Violence. AJOB Neurosci 2020; 11:269-284. [PMID: 33196349 PMCID: PMC7939028 DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2020.1811798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
People are motivated by shared social values that, when held with moral conviction, can serve as compelling mandates capable of facilitating support for ideological violence. The current study examined this dark side of morality by identifying specific cognitive and neural mechanisms associated with beliefs about the appropriateness of sociopolitical violence, and determining the extent to which the engagement of these mechanisms was predicted by moral convictions. Participants reported their moral convictions about a variety of sociopolitical issues prior to undergoing functional MRI scanning. During scanning, they were asked to evaluate the appropriateness of violent protests that were ostensibly congruent or incongruent with their views about sociopolitical issues. Complementary univariate and multivariate analytical strategies comparing neural responses to congruent and incongruent violence identified neural mechanisms implicated in processing salience and in the encoding of subjective value. As predicted, neuro-hemodynamic response was modulated parametrically by individuals' beliefs about the appropriateness of congruent relative to incongruent sociopolitical violence in ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and by moral conviction in ventral striatum. Overall moral conviction was predicted by neural response to congruent relative to incongruent violence in amygdala. Together, these findings indicate that moral conviction about sociopolitical issues serves to increase their subjective value, overriding natural aversion to interpersonal harm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clifford I. Workman
- Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Keith J. Yoder
- Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Jean Decety
- Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
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16
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Guilty by association: How group-based (collective) guilt arises in the brain. Neuroimage 2020; 209:116488. [PMID: 31884056 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
People do not only feel guilty for transgressions that they are causally responsible for (i.e., personal guilt); they also feel guilty for transgressions committed by those they identify as in-group members (i.e., collective or group-based guilt). Decades of research using scenario-based imagination tasks and self-reported measures has shown that when reminded of transgressions committed by in-group members, people express guilt and are willing to make amends, even when they are not causally responsible for the transgressions. However, it remains elusive whether people genuinely experience guilt or simply display remorseful gestures deemed appropriate in those contexts. To resolve this puzzle, it is critical to closely examine the neurocognitive basis of group-based guilt and its relationship with personal guilt, a goal that self-reported measures alone cannot satisfactorily achieve. Here, we combined functional MRI with an interaction-based minimal group paradigm in which participants either directly caused harm to a group of victims (i.e., personal guilt), or observed in-group members cause harm to the victims (i.e., group-based guilt). In three experiments (N = 90), we demonstrated and replicated that the perceived responsibility one shared with in-group members in transgression predicted both behavioral and neural manifestations of group-based guilt. Multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) of the functional MRI data showed that group-based guilt recruited patterns of neural responses in anterior middle cingulate cortex that resembled personal guilt. These results have broadened our understanding of how group membership is integrated into the neurocognitive processes underlying social emotions.
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17
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Yu H, Koban L, Chang LJ, Wagner U, Krishnan A, Vuilleumier P, Zhou X, Wager TD. A Generalizable Multivariate Brain Pattern for Interpersonal Guilt. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:3558-3572. [PMID: 32083647 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Feeling guilty when we have wronged another is a crucial aspect of prosociality, but its neurobiological bases are elusive. Although multivariate patterns of brain activity show promise for developing brain measures linked to specific emotions, it is less clear whether brain activity can be trained to detect more complex social emotional states such as guilt. Here, we identified a distributed guilt-related brain signature (GRBS) across two independent neuroimaging datasets that used interpersonal interactions to evoke guilt. This signature discriminated conditions associated with interpersonal guilt from closely matched control conditions in a cross-validated training sample (N = 24; Chinese population) and in an independent test sample (N = 19; Swiss population). However, it did not respond to observed or experienced pain, or recalled guilt. Moreover, the GRBS only exhibited weak spatial similarity with other brain signatures of social-affective processes, further indicating the specificity of the brain state it represents. These findings provide a step toward developing biological markers of social emotions, which could serve as important tools to investigate guilt-related brain processes in both healthy and clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongbo Yu
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.,Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.,Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Leonie Koban
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.,Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.,Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland.,Control-Interoception-Attention Team, Brain & Spine Institute, 47 bd de l'hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Luke J Chang
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Ullrich Wagner
- Department of Psychology, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Anjali Krishnan
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.,Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.,Department of Psychology, Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, New York, NY 11210, USA
| | - Patrik Vuilleumier
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland.,Laboratory for Behavioral Neurology and Imaging of Cognition, Department of Neuroscience, University Medical Center, University of Geneva, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Xiaolin Zhou
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Institute of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Zhejiang 321004, China.,Key Laboratory of Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, School of Business and Management, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai 200083, China
| | - Tor D Wager
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.,Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
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18
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Zahn R, de Oliveira-Souza R, Moll J. Moral Motivation and the Basal Forebrain. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 108:207-217. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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19
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Seara-Cardoso A, Queirós A, Fernandes E, Coutinho J, Neumann C. Psychometric Properties and Construct Validity of the Short Version of the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale in a Southern European Sample. J Pers Assess 2019; 102:457-468. [PMID: 31188025 DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2019.1617297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The Self-Report Psychopathy Scale-Short Form (SRP-SF) is a brief measure of psychopathy, developed via model-based test theory. The SRP-SF has a 4-factor structure with items reflecting affective, interpersonal, lifestyle, and antisocial domains, in line with the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), which can be aggregated to form the traditional F1 and F2 dimensions of psychopathy. Previous research indicates the SRP is a viable tool for examining the prevalence of psychopathic propensities and their correlates in nonoffender populations. Currently, a substantial amount of nonoffender research on psychopathy is conducted in North America. Here, we inspect the psychometric properties of the SRP-SF and probe its association with general personality and empathy in a large southern European (Portuguese) community sample. Consistent with previous studies, results indicated good fit for the 4-factor model, including for separate female and male subsamples, good internal consistency across its scales and subscales, and the predicted pattern of associations with the correlates of psychopathy. The results of this cross-cultural study provide further evidence of the validity of the SRP-SF in the assessment of psychopathy in community samples, and help to extend the nomological net on the larger construct to a southern European sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Seara-Cardoso
- Psychological Neuroscience Lab, CIPsi, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andreia Queirós
- Psychological Neuroscience Lab, CIPsi, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Eugénia Fernandes
- Psychological Neuroscience Lab, CIPsi, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Joana Coutinho
- Psychological Neuroscience Lab, CIPsi, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Craig Neumann
- Department of Psychology, University of North Texas, Texas, USA
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20
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Psychopathic traits are related to diminished guilt aversion and reduced trustworthiness during social decision-making. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7307. [PMID: 31086201 PMCID: PMC6514208 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43727-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with high levels of psychopathic tendencies tend to show a lack of guilt, a lack of empathic concern, and a disregard for the impact of their decisions on others. However, how guilt influences social decision-making for those with high psychopathic traits is still unknown. Here, we investigated how psychopathic traits relate to the capacity to acquire knowledge about social expectations, and to what extent guilt aversion affects subsequent decision-making. 63 participants completed self-report measures of psychopathy, and then played a modified Trust Game in the role of the Trustee. Results showed that participants’ self-reported beliefs about their partner’s expectations were largely predictive of the amount of money they returned to the partner. These decisions were negatively correlated with the PPI-I scores. Furthermore, participants’ degree of guilt aversion were negatively correlated with PPI total scores. Our findings suggest that individuals with higher psychopathic traits are indeed capable of understanding the expectations of others, but do not seem to directly utilise this knowledge in their social decision-making, and experience less anticipated guilt about this. The present study provides empirical evidence of intact social knowledge coupled with decreased reciprocity and diminished guilt aversion as levels of psychopathic traits increase.
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21
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Zhu R, Feng C, Zhang S, Mai X, Liu C. Differentiating guilt and shame in an interpersonal context with univariate activation and multivariate pattern analyses. Neuroimage 2019; 186:476-486. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
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22
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Johanson M, Vaurio O, Tiihonen J, Lähteenvuo M. A Systematic Literature Review of Neuroimaging of Psychopathic Traits. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:1027. [PMID: 32116828 PMCID: PMC7016047 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.01027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mika Johanson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Olli Vaurio
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.,Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jari Tiihonen
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.,Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Markku Lähteenvuo
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
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23
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Zhang W, Zhao F, Qin W, Ma L. Altered Spontaneous Regional Brain Activity in the Insula and Visual Areas of Professional Traditional Chinese Pingju Opera Actors. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:450. [PMID: 30018534 PMCID: PMC6037822 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent resting-state fMRI studies have revealed neuroplastic alterations after long-term training. However, the neuroplastic changes that occur in professional traditional Chinese Pingju opera actors remain unclear. Twenty professional traditional Chinese Pingju opera actors and 20 age-, sex-, and handedness-matched laymen were recruited. Resting-state fMRI was obtained by using an echo-planar imaging sequence, and two metrics, amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo), were utilized to assess spontaneous neural activity during resting state. Our results demonstrated that compared with laymen, professional traditional Chinese Pingju actors exhibited significantly decreased ALFF in the bilateral calcarine gyrus and cuneus; decreased ReHo in the bilateral superior occipital and calcarine gyri, cuneus, and right middle occipital gyrus; and increased ReHo in the left anterior insula. In addition, no significant association was found between spontaneous neural activity and Pingju opera training duration. Overall, the changes observed in spontaneous brain activity in professional traditional Chinese Pingju opera actors may indicate their superior performance of multidimensional professional skills, such as music and face perception, dancing, and emotional representation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weitao Zhang
- Department of Radiology, People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Fangshi Zhao
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Wen Qin
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Lin Ma
- Department of Radiology, People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
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24
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Funayama M, Koreki A, Muramatsu T, Mimura M, Kato M, Abe T. Impairment in judgement of the moral emotion guilt following orbitofrontal cortex damage. J Neuropsychol 2018; 13:550-563. [PMID: 29673084 DOI: 10.1111/jnp.12158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Although neuroimaging studies have provided evidence for an association between moral emotions and the orbitofrontal cortex, studies on patients with focal lesions using experimental probes of moral emotions are scarce. Here, we addressed this topic by presenting a moral emotion judgement task to patients with focal brain damage. Four judgement tasks in a simple pairwise choice paradigm were given to 72 patients with cerebrovascular disease. These tasks consisted of a perceptual line judgement task as a control task; the objects' preference task as a basic preference judgement task; and two types of moral emotion judgement task, an anger task and a guilt task. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed on each set of task performance scores to take into account potential confounders. Performance on the guilt emotion judgement task negatively correlated with the orbitofrontal cortex damage, but not with the other variables. Results for the other judgement tasks did not reach statistical significance. The close association between orbitofrontal cortex damage and a decrease in guilt emotion judgement consistency might suggest that the orbitofrontal cortex plays a key role in the sense of guilt, a hallmark of morality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michitaka Funayama
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Ashikaga Red Cross Hospital, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Akihiro Koreki
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Ashikaga Red Cross Hospital, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Taro Muramatsu
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaru Mimura
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Motoichiro Kato
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takayuki Abe
- Center for Clinical Research, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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25
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Sakai JT, Dalwani MS, Mikulich-Gilbertson SK, Raymond K, McWilliams S, Tanabe J, Rojas D, Regner M, Banich MT, Crowley TJ. Imaging decision about whether to benefit self by harming others: Adolescents with conduct and substance problems, with or without callous-unemotionality, or developing typically. Psychiatry Res 2017; 263:103-112. [PMID: 28371655 PMCID: PMC5705947 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2017.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Revised: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
We sought to identify brain activation differences in conduct-problem youth with limited prosocial emotions (LPE) compared to conduct-problem youth without LPE and community adolescents, and to test associations between brain activation and severity of callous-unemotional traits. We utilized a novel task, which asks subjects to repeatedly decide whether to accept offers where they will benefit but a beneficent other will be harmed. Behavior on this task has been previously associated with levels of prosocial emotions and severity of callous-unemotional traits, and is related to empathic concern. During fMRI acquisition, 66 male adolescents (21 conduct-problem patients with LPE, 21 without, and 24 typically-developing controls) played this novel game. Within typically-developing controls, we identified a network engaged during decision involving bilateral insula, and inferior parietal and medial frontal cortices, among other regions. Group comparisons using non-parametric (distribution-free) permutation tests demonstrated LPE patients had lower activation estimates than typically-developing adolescents in right anterior insula. Additional significant group differences emerged with our a priori parametric cluster-wise inference threshold. These results suggest measurable functional brain activation differences in conduct-problem adolescents with LPE compared to typically-developing adolescents. Such differences may underscore differential treatment needs for conduct-problem males with and without LPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph T Sakai
- University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - Manish S Dalwani
- University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Aurora, CO, USA
| | | | - Kristen Raymond
- University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Shannon McWilliams
- University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jody Tanabe
- University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Don Rojas
- Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Michael Regner
- University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Marie T Banich
- University of Colorado Boulder, Institute of Cognitive Science, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Thomas J Crowley
- University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Aurora, CO, USA
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26
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Panasiti MS, Ponsi G. Commentary: Investigating the Effects of Anger and Guilt on Unethical Behaviour: A Dual-Process Approach. Front Psychol 2017. [PMCID: PMC5296349 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Serena Panasiti
- Department of Psychology, University of Rome “Sapienza”Rome, Italy
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, IRCCS Fondazione Santa LuciaRome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Maria Serena Panasiti
| | - Giorgia Ponsi
- Department of Psychology, University of Rome “Sapienza”Rome, Italy
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, IRCCS Fondazione Santa LuciaRome, Italy
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of BernBern, Switzerland
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