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Wilkinson J, Curry OS, Mitchell BL, Bates T. Modular morals: Mapping the organization of the moral brain. Brain Cogn 2024; 180:106201. [PMID: 39173228 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2024.106201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
Is morality the product of multiple domain-specific psychological mechanisms, or one domain-general mechanism? Previous research suggests that morality consists of a range of solutions to the problems of cooperation recurrent in human social life. This theory of 'morality as cooperation' suggests that there are (at least) seven specific moral domains: family values, group loyalty, reciprocity, heroism, deference, fairness and property rights. However, it is unclear how these types of morality are implemented at the neuroanatomical level. The possibilities are that morality is (1) the product of multiple distinct domain-specific adaptations for cooperation, (2) the product of a single domain-general adaptation which learns a range of moral rules, or (3) the product of some combination of domain-specific and domain-general adaptations. To distinguish between these possibilities, we first conducted an anatomical likelihood estimation meta-analysis of previous studies investigating the relationship between these seven moral domains and neuroanatomy. This meta-analysis provided evidence for a combination of specific and general adaptations. Next, we investigated the relationship between the seven types of morality - as measured by the Morality as Cooperation Questionnaire (Relevance) - and grey matter volume in a large neuroimaging (n = 607) sample. No associations between moral values and grey matter volume survived whole-brain exploratory testing. We conclude that whatever combination of mechanisms are responsible for morality, either they are not neuroanatomically localised, or else their localisation is not manifested in grey matter volume. Future research should employ phylogenetically informed a priori predictions, as well as alternative measures of morality and of brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Wilkinson
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
| | - Oliver Scott Curry
- School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Brittany L Mitchell
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Timothy Bates
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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2
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Armstrong TA, Boisvert DL, Wells J, Lewis RH, Cooke EM, Woeckener M, Kavish N, Harper JM. Testosterone, cortisol, and psychopathy: Further evidence with the Levenson self-report psychopathy scale and the inventory of callous unemotional traits. Soc Neurosci 2024:1-13. [PMID: 39172261 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2024.2390849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
The current study explored associations between testosterone, cortisol, and both the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRPS) and the Inventory of Callous Unemotional (ICU) traits. Data were gathered from a relatively large sample of university students (n = 522) and analyses considered direct and interactive associations between hormones and psychopathic traits, as well as interactions between these associations and the time of day at which samples were gathered and the sex of participants. Baseline cortisol had a negative association with LSRPS primary psychopathy scores. In addition, baseline cortisol interacted with the time of day in association with LSRPS total scores. Simple slopes analyses indicated cortisol had a negative association with LSRPS total scores in the morning but not the afternoon. Interactions among hormone measures were not statistically significant. There was also no evidence for the moderation of associations between hormones and psychopathic traits by sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd A Armstrong
- School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Nebraska-Omaha, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Danielle L Boisvert
- Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, USA
| | - Jessica Wells
- Department of Criminal Justice, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
| | - Richard H Lewis
- Department of Criminal Justice, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Eric M Cooke
- Criminal Justice Program, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA
| | - Matthias Woeckener
- Department of Criminal Justice, University of Nebraska at Kearney, Kearney, NE, USA
| | - Nicholas Kavish
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - James M Harper
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, USA
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3
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Lukkarinen L, Tuisku J, Sun L, Helin S, Karlsson HK, Venetjoki N, Salomaa M, Rautio P, Hirvonen J, Lauerma H, Tiihonen J, Nummenmaa L. Aberrant type 2 dopamine receptor availability in violent offenders with psychopathy. Neuroimage 2024; 297:120724. [PMID: 38971486 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Psychopathy is characterized by antisocial behavior, poor behavioral control and lacking empathy, and structural alterations in the corresponding neural circuits. Molecular brain basis of psychopathy remains poorly characterized. Here we studied type 2 dopamine receptor (D2R) and mu-opioid receptor (MOR) availability in convicted violent offenders with high psychopathic traits (n = 11) and healthy matched controls (n = 17) using positron emission tomography (PET). D2R were measured with radioligand [11C]raclopride and MORs with radioligand [11C]carfentanil. Psychopathic subjects had lowered D2R availability in caudate and putamen, and striatal D2R availability was also associated with degree of psychopathic traits in this prisoner sample. No group differences were found in MOR availability, although in the prisoner sample, psychopathic traits were negatively correlated with MOR availability in the amygdala and nucleus accumbens. We conclude that D2R signaling could be the putative neuromolecular pathway for psychopathy, whereas evidence for alterations in the MOR system is more limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lasse Lukkarinen
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Finland; Psychiatric Hospital for Prisoners, University of Turku, Finland
| | | | - Lihua Sun
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Semi Helin
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Finland
| | | | - Niina Venetjoki
- Psychiatric Hospital for Prisoners, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Marja Salomaa
- Psychiatric Hospital for Prisoners, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Päivi Rautio
- Turku Prison Outpatient Clinic, University of Turku, Finland
| | | | - Hannu Lauerma
- Psychiatric Hospital for Prisoners, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Jari Tiihonen
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Center for Psychiatry Research, Stockholm City Council, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Eastern Finland, Niuvanniemi Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Lauri Nummenmaa
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Finland; Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Finland.
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Levander S, Levander MT. Self-control in criminology: we need a broader conceptualization and links to psychiatric diagnoses. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1435003. [PMID: 39086427 PMCID: PMC11290269 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1435003] [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: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Poor self-control is a strong correlate of criminal propensity. It is conceptualized and operationalized differently in criminology than in other scientific traditions. Aims (1) To verify the dimensionality of the criminological Grasmick self-control items, other self-regulation items and morality ones. (2) To re-interpret the dimensions using a clinical perspective, a taxonomic/diagnostic model and references to possible "biological underpinnings." (3) Validate the dimensions by associations with crime. Method Population: all persons born 1995 in Malmö and living there at age 12. A random sample (N = 525) filled in a comprehensive self-report questionnaire on themes like personality, crime/abuse and social aspects at age 15, 16 and 18. Age 18 data were analysed: 191 men and 220 women. Results Self-regulation items were 4-dimensional: ADHD problems (Behavior control and Executive skills) and two Aggression factors. Morality items formed a fifth dimension. Negative Affect and Social interaction factors covered the rest of the variance. The validity of these factors was backed up by correlations with similar items/factors. Self-regulation subscales predicted crimes better than the Grasmick scale; an interaction with morality improved prediction still further. Sex differences were over-all small with three exceptions: Aggression, Morality and Negative affect. Conclusion We identified four dimensions of the 20-item Grasmick instrument: Cognitive action control (impulsiveness/sensation seeking, response inhibition), Executive skills/future orientation, Affective/aggression reactivity and Aggression control. All should be possible to link to brain functional modules. Much can be gained if we are able to formulate an integrated model of self-regulation including distinct brain functional modules, process-and trait-oriented models, relevant diagnoses and clinical experiences of individual cases.
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Ramião E, Geraldo A, Figueiredo P, Barroso R, Barbosa F. Do Juveniles Who Have Committed Sexual Offenses Have Higher Callous-Unemotional Traits Compared to Juveniles Who Have Committed General Offenses? A Systematic Review. Behav Sci (Basel) 2024; 14:525. [PMID: 39062348 PMCID: PMC11273882 DOI: 10.3390/bs14070525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The importance of assessing psychopathic traits in juveniles who have committed sexual offenses has been established in individuals who demonstrate a particularly severe and violent pattern of behavior. Additionally, the assessment of these traits in other juveniles might be relevant considering that higher levels of these traits represent an increased probability of the juvenile committing offenses. This study is a systematic review of the literature about the presence of callous-unemotional (CU) traits in juveniles who have committed sexual and non-sexual offenses, in order to ascertain eventual differences between these groups regarding the presence of CU traits. Studies were obtained from multiple databases, with predefined exclusion and inclusion criteria, according to PRISMA-P guidelines. A total of 18 studies were reviewed and included in the final analysis. The 18 studies used measures of CU traits and reported descriptive categories of CU traits in juveniles who have committed general offenses or juveniles who have committed sexual offenses. Meta-analytic procedures such as pooled means, pooled variances, and pooled standard deviations are presented in this study. The main conclusion obtained is that juveniles who have committed general offenses present higher levels of CU traits compared to juveniles who have committed sexual offenses. Although the review highlights limitations in the literature, the identification of these characteristics in different types of juveniles who have committed offenses is important to shed light on the phenomenon and develop interventions better suited to their characteristics. Recommendations for future research are also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduarda Ramião
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Porto, R. Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.G.); (P.F.)
- Escola Superior de Saúde, Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESS-IPP), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Andreia Geraldo
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Porto, R. Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.G.); (P.F.)
- Escola Superior de Saúde, Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ESS-IPP), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
- HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Figueiredo
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Porto, R. Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.G.); (P.F.)
- HEI-Lab: Digital Human-Environment Interaction Labs, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Barroso
- Departamento de Educação e Psicologia, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal;
- Laboratory of Research of Human Sexuality (Sexlab), Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
- U.North Psychology Consortium, Portugal
| | - Fernando Barbosa
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Porto, R. Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.G.); (P.F.)
- U.North Psychology Consortium, Portugal
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Lu J, Gou N, Sun Q, Huang Y, Guo H, Han D, Zhou J, Wang X. Brain structural alterations associated with impulsiveness in male violent patients with schizophrenia. BMC Psychiatry 2024; 24:281. [PMID: 38622613 PMCID: PMC11017613 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-024-05721-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Violence in schizophrenia (SCZ) is a phenomenon associated with neurobiological factors. However, the neural mechanisms of violence in patients with SCZ are not yet sufficiently understood. Thus, this study aimed to explore the structural changes associated with the high risk of violence and its association with impulsiveness in patients with SCZ to reveal the possible neurobiological basis. METHOD The voxel-based morphometry approach and whole-brain analyses were used to measure the alteration of gray matter volume (GMV) for 45 schizophrenia patients with violence (VSC), 45 schizophrenia patients without violence (NSC), and 53 healthy controls (HC). Correlation analyses were used to examine the association of impulsiveness and brain regions associated with violence. RESULTS The results demonstrated reduced GMV in the right insula within the VSC group compared with the NSC group, and decreased GMV in the right temporal pole and left orbital part of superior frontal gyrus only in the VSC group compared to the HC group. Spearman correlation analyses further revealed a positive correlation between impulsiveness and GMV of the left superior temporal gyrus, bilateral insula and left medial orbital part of the superior frontal gyrus in the VSC group. CONCLUSION Our findings have provided further evidence for structural alterations in patients with SCZ who had engaged in severe violence, as well as the relationship between the specific brain alterations and impulsiveness. This work provides neural biomarkers and improves our insight into the neural underpinnings of violence in patients with SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juntao Lu
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Ningzhi Gou
- Department of Psychiatry, the First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Xi 'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
| | - Qiaoling Sun
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Ying Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Huijuan Guo
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Dian Han
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Jiansong Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China.
| | - Xiaoping Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China.
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Bell C, Rokicki J, Tesli N, Gurholt TP, Hjell G, Fischer-Vieler T, Bang N, Melle I, Agartz I, Andreassen OA, Ringen PA, Rasmussen K, Dahl H, Friestad C, Haukvik UK. Hypothalamic subunit volumes and relations to violence and psychopathy in male offenders with or without a psychotic disorder. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2024:10.1007/s00406-023-01725-4. [PMID: 38353675 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-023-01725-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2024]
Abstract
The hypothalamus is key to body homeostasis, including regulating cortisol, testosterone, vasopressin, and oxytocin hormones, modulating aggressive behavior. Animal studies have linked the morphology and function of the hypothalamus to aggression and affiliation, with a subregional pattern reflecting the functional division between the hypothalamic nuclei. We explored the relationship between hypothalamic subunit volumes in violent offenders with (PSY-V) and without (NPV) a psychotic disorder, and the association with psychopathy traits. 3T MRI scans (n = 628, all male 18-70 years) were obtained from PSY-V, n = 38, NPV, n = 20, non-violent psychosis patients (PSY-NV), n = 134, and healthy controls (HC), n = 436. The total hypothalamus volume and its eleven nuclei were delineated into five subunits using Freesurfer v7.3. Psychopathy traits were assessed with Psychopathy Checklist-revised (PCL-R). ANCOVAs and linear regressions were used to analyze associations with subunit volumes. Both groups with a history of violence exhibited smaller anterior-superior subunit volumes than HC (NPV Cohen's d = 0.56, p = 0.01 and PSY-V d = 0.38, p = 0.01). There were no significant differences between HC and PSY-NV. PCL-R scores were positively associated with the inferior tubular subunit on a trend level (uncorrected p = 0.045, Cohen's d = 0.04). We found distinct hypothalamic subunit volume reductions in persons with a history of violence independent of concomitant psychotic disorder but not in persons with psychosis alone. The results provide further information about the involvement of the hypothalamus in aggression, which ultimately may lead to the development of targeted treatment for the clinical and societal challenge of aggression and violent behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Bell
- Department of Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Nydalen, P. O. Box 4956, 0424, Oslo, Norway.
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Jaroslav Rokicki
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Natalia Tesli
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tiril P Gurholt
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Gabriela Hjell
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychiatry, Østfold Hospital Trust, Graalum, Norway
| | - Thomas Fischer-Vieler
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Drammen, Norway
| | - Nina Bang
- Department of Mental Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ingrid Melle
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingrid Agartz
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm Region, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Petter Andreas Ringen
- Department of Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Nydalen, P. O. Box 4956, 0424, Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kirsten Rasmussen
- Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Mental Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Hilde Dahl
- Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Christine Friestad
- Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- University College of Norwegian Correctional Service, Oslo, Norway
| | - Unn K Haukvik
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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Seidenbecher S, Schöne M, Kaufmann J, Schiltz K, Bogerts B, Frodl T. Neuroanatomical correlates of aggressiveness: a case-control voxel- and surface-based morphometric study. Brain Struct Funct 2024; 229:31-46. [PMID: 37819409 PMCID: PMC10827843 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02715-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Aggression occurs across the population ranging on a symptom continuum. Most previous studies have used magnetic resonance imaging in clinical/forensic samples, which is associated with several confounding factors. The present study examined structural brain characteristics in two healthy samples differing only in their propensity for aggressive behavior. Voxel- and surface-based morphometry (SBM) analyses were performed on 29 male martial artists and 32 age-matched male controls. Martial artists had significantly increased mean gray matter volume in two frontal (left superior frontal gyrus and bilateral anterior cingulate cortex) and one parietal (bilateral posterior cingulate gyrus and precuneus) brain clusters compared to controls (whole brain: p < 0.001, cluster level: family-wise error (FWE)-corrected). SBM analyses revealed a trend for greater gyrification indices in martial artists compared to controls in the left lateral orbital frontal cortex and the left pars orbitalis (whole brain: p < 0.001, cluster level: FWE-corrected). The results indicate brain structural differences between martial artists and controls in frontal and parietal brain areas critical for emotion processing/inhibition of emotions as well as empathic processes. The present study highlights the importance of studying healthy subjects with a propensity for aggressive behavior in future structural MRI research on aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Seidenbecher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Maria Schöne
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Jörn Kaufmann
- Department of Neurology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Kolja Schiltz
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Psychiatric Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Bernhard Bogerts
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- Salus-Institute, Salus gGmbH, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Frodl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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Taipale M, Tiihonen J, Korhonen J, Popovic D, Vaurio O, Lähteenvuo M, Lieslehto J. Effects of Substance Use and Antisocial Personality on Neuroimaging-Based Machine Learning Prediction of Schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 2023; 49:1568-1578. [PMID: 37449305 PMCID: PMC10686357 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbad103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS Neuroimaging-based machine learning (ML) algorithms have the potential to aid the clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia. However, literature on the effect of prevalent comorbidities such as substance use disorder (SUD) and antisocial personality (ASPD) on these models' performance has remained unexplored. We investigated whether the presence of SUD or ASPD affects the performance of neuroimaging-based ML models trained to discern patients with schizophrenia (SCH) from controls. STUDY DESIGN We trained an ML model on structural MRI data from public datasets to distinguish between SCH and controls (SCH = 347, controls = 341). We then investigated the model's performance in two independent samples of individuals undergoing forensic psychiatric examination: sample 1 was used for sensitivity analysis to discern ASPD (N = 52) from SCH (N = 66), and sample 2 was used for specificity analysis to discern ASPD (N = 26) from controls (N = 25). Both samples included individuals with SUD. STUDY RESULTS In sample 1, 94.4% of SCH with comorbid ASPD and SUD were classified as SCH, followed by patients with SCH + SUD (78.8% classified as SCH) and patients with SCH (60.0% classified as SCH). The model failed to discern SCH without comorbidities from ASPD + SUD (AUC = 0.562, 95%CI = 0.400-0.723). In sample 2, the model's specificity to predict controls was 84.0%. In both samples, about half of the ASPD + SUD were misclassified as SCH. Data-driven functional characterization revealed associations between the classification as SCH and cognition-related brain regions. CONCLUSION Altogether, ASPD and SUD appear to have effects on ML prediction performance, which potentially results from converging cognition-related brain abnormalities between SCH, ASPD, and SUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matias Taipale
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jari Tiihonen
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Psychiatry Research, Stockholm City Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Juuso Korhonen
- Department of Computer Science, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - David Popovic
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Olli Vaurio
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Markku Lähteenvuo
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Johannes Lieslehto
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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10
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González-Alemañy E, Rodríguez Olivera AD, Bobes MA, Armony JL. Brain structural correlates of psychopathic traits in elite female combat-sports athletes. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 58:4255-4263. [PMID: 37884281 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Psychopathy is characterized by glibness and superficial charm, as well as a lack of empathy, guilt and remorse, and is often accompanied by antisocial behaviour. The cerebral bases of this syndrome have been mostly studied in violent subjects or those with a criminal history. However, the antisocial component of psychopathy is not central to its conceptualization, and in fact, psychopathic traits are present in well-adjusted, non-criminal individuals within the general population. Interestingly, certain psychopathy characteristics appear to be particularly pronounced in some groups or professions. Importantly, as these so-called adaptive or successful psychopaths do not show antisocial tendencies or have significant psychiatric comorbidities, they may represent an ideal population to study this trait. Here, we investigated such a group, specifically elite female judo athletes, and compared them with matched non-athletes. Participants completed psychopathy, anger, perspective-taking and empathic concern questionnaires and underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Grey matter volume (GMV) was computed using voxel-based morphometry from the T1-weighted images. Athletes scored significantly higher in primary psychopathy and anger and lower in empathy and perspective taking. They also exhibited smaller GMV in the right temporal pole, left occipital cortex and left amygdala/hippocampus. GMV values for the latter cluster significantly correlated with primary psychopathy scores across both groups. These results confirm and extend previous findings to a little-studied population and provide support for the conceptualization of psychopathy as a dimensional personality trait which not only is not necessarily associated with antisocial behaviour but may potentially have adaptive value.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - María Antonieta Bobes
- Department of Cognitive and Social Neuroscience, Cuban Center for Neurosciences, Havana, Cuba
| | - Jorge L Armony
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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11
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Chester SC, Ogawa T, Terao M, Nakai R, Abe N, De Brito SA. Cortical and subcortical grey matter correlates of psychopathic traits in a Japanese community sample of young adults: sex and configurations of factors' level matter! Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:5043-5054. [PMID: 36300595 PMCID: PMC10151884 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
While neuroimaging research has examined the structural brain correlates of psychopathy predominantly in clinical/forensic male samples from western countries, much less is known about those correlates in non-western community samples. Here, structural magnetic resonance imaging data were analyzed using voxel- and surface-based morphometry to investigate the neuroanatomical correlates of psychopathic traits in a mixed-sex sample of 97 well-functioning Japanese adults (45 males, 21-39 years; M = 27, SD = 5.3). Psychopathic traits were assessed using the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (SRP-SF; 4th Edition). Multiple regression analysis showed greater Factor 1 scores were associated with higher gyrification in the lingual gyrus, and gray matter volume in the anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala/hippocampus border. Total psychopathy and Factor 1 scores interacted with sex to, respectively, predict cortical thickness in the precuneus and gyrification in the superior temporal gyrus. Finally, Factor 1 and Factor 2 traits interacted to predict gyrification in the posterior cingulate cortex. These preliminary data suggest that, while there may be commonalities in the loci of structural brain correlates of psychopathic traits in clinical/forensic and community samples, the nature of that association might be different (i.e. positive) and may vary according to sex and configurations of factors' level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally C Chester
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Tatsuyoshi Ogawa
- Division of Transdisciplinary Sciences, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Technology, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Nomi, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Maki Terao
- Institute for the Future of Human Society, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Nakai
- Institute for the Future of Human Society, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Nobuhito Abe
- Institute for the Future of Human Society, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Stephane A De Brito
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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12
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van de Groep IH, G N Bos M, Jansen LMC, Popma A, Crone EA. Through the looking glass: the neural basis of self-concept in young adults with antisocial trajectories. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2023; 18:7156805. [PMID: 37154430 PMCID: PMC10165683 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsad016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Self-concept is shaped by social experiences, but it is not yet well understood how the neural and behavioral development of self-concept is influenced by a history of antisocial behavior. In this pre-registered study, we examined neural responses to self-evaluations in young adults who engaged with antisocial behavior in childhood and either desisted or persisted in antisocial behavior. A self-concept task was performed by 94 young adults (age range 18-30 years). During the task, participants with a persistent or desistent antisocial trajectory (n = 54) and typically developing young adults (n = 40) rated whether positive and negative traits in different domains (prosocial and physical) described themselves. We examined both the effects of a history of antisocial behavior as well as current heterogeneity in psychopathic traits on self-concept appraisal and its neural underpinnings. Participants endorsed more positive trait statements than negative across domains, which did not differ between antisocial-history groups. However, current psychopathic traits were negatively associated with prosocial self-concept and medial prefrontal cortex activity during self-evaluation. Together, these findings suggest that antisocial tendencies might indeed be reflected in self-concept development of young adults, specifically in the prosocial domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilse H van de Groep
- Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Erasmus University, Rotterdam 3062 PA, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden 2300 RC, The Netherlands
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center, 1100 DD Amsterdam Zuidoost, The Netherlands
- Developmental and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 AK, The Netherlands
| | - Marieke G N Bos
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden 2300 RC, The Netherlands
- Developmental and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 AK, The Netherlands
| | - Lucres M C Jansen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center, 1100 DD Amsterdam Zuidoost, The Netherlands
| | - Arne Popma
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center, 1100 DD Amsterdam Zuidoost, The Netherlands
| | - Eveline A Crone
- Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Erasmus University, Rotterdam 3062 PA, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden 2300 RC, The Netherlands
- Developmental and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 AK, The Netherlands
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13
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Differences in emotional contagion, interpersonal relationships and social rewards in males and females: examining the links with primary and secondary psychopathic traits. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-023-04236-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
AbstractIndividuals with psychopathic traits display low empathy and as a result they have difficulties maintaining meaningful relationships. Emotional contagion, the ability to automatically mimic others’ emotional states (facial expressions, movements), is a precursor of empathy that contributes to relationship quality and is impaired in individuals with psychopathic traits. The current study examines sex differences in primary and secondary psychopathic traits in a sample of 389 participants (Mage = 33.61; 241 females) and the association of these personality traits with romantic and peer relationships, susceptibility to negative (sadness, fear, anger) and positive (happiness, love) emotional contagion and social motivation factors. Hierarchical multiple regressions run separately in male and female participants, revealed different factors contribute to the maintenance of primary and secondary psychopathic traits. Findings infer different difficulties in social functioning (forming and maintaining relationships), regulating emotions, empathizing via emotional contagion, and motivating factors to engage socially, relate to primary and secondary traits, as well as differences in men and women. This research reflects the importance of investigating psychopathic traits heterogeneously in males and females, to better inform prevention efforts focused on hindering the development and maintenance of these personality traits.
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14
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Schönthaler EMD, Dalkner N, Schwalsberger K, Reininghaus EZ, Reininghaus B. Psychopathic personality traits stress immunity and social potency moderate the relationship between emotional competence and cognitive functions in depression. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1061642. [PMID: 37051168 PMCID: PMC10084668 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1061642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Psychopathic personality traits (PPT) and depression have both been shown to worsen emotional and cognitive functions. Moreover, PPT and depression share similar underlying neuronal circuits tapping into the emotional and cognitive domains. However, little is known about the influence of PPT on emotion and cognition in individuals with depression. Objectives This study aimed to examine the correlative relationships and moderating role of PPT in the association between emotional competence and cognitive functions in individuals with depression. Methods Data from 373 individuals diagnosed with depression (158 males, 215 females) were examined within a cohort study. Subjects filled out validated questionnaires surveying PPT and emotional competences. Furthermore, a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery was administered. Results Correlation analyses revealed a significant positive association between emotional competence and cognitive functions. Further, negative associations between emotional competence and the PPT "Blame Externalisation" and "Careless Nonplanfulness," as well as positive associations with psychopathic "Social Potency" and "Stress Immunity" were found. Moderation analyses indicated a significant positive influence of psychopathic "Stress Immunity" and "Social Influence" on the relationship between emotional competence and cognitive functions. Conclusion The findings highlight the importance of integrating PPT in depression research. Considering PPT in depression treatment could also facilitate the therapeutic process by identifying individual traits as resilience-strengthening or potentially harmful factors for depressive symptomatology. This study represents a stepping stone for further research regarding the role of personality traits in psychiatric disorders and their treatment.
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15
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Psychopathic and autistic traits differentially influence the neural mechanisms of social cognition from communication signals. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:494. [PMID: 36446775 PMCID: PMC9709037 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02260-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychopathy is associated with severe deviations in social behavior and cognition. While previous research described such cognitive and neural alterations in the processing of rather specific social information from human expressions, some open questions remain concerning central and differential neurocognitive deficits underlying psychopathic behavior. Here we investigated three rather unexplored factors to explain these deficits, first, by assessing psychopathy subtypes in social cognition, second, by investigating the discrimination of social communication sounds (speech, non-speech) from other non-social sounds, and third, by determining the neural overlap in social cognition impairments with autistic traits, given potential common deficits in the processing of communicative voice signals. The study was exploratory with a focus on how psychopathic and autistic traits differentially influence the function of social cognitive and affective brain networks in response to social voice stimuli. We used a parametric data analysis approach from a sample of 113 participants (47 male, 66 female) with ages ranging between 18 and 40 years (mean 25.59, SD 4.79). Our data revealed four important findings. First, we found a phenotypical overlap between secondary but not primary psychopathy with autistic traits. Second, primary psychopathy showed various neural deficits in neural voice processing nodes (speech, non-speech voices) and in brain systems for social cognition (mirroring, mentalizing, empathy, emotional contagion). Primary psychopathy also showed deficits in the basal ganglia (BG) system that seems specific to the social decoding of communicative voice signals. Third, neural deviations in secondary psychopathy were restricted to social mirroring and mentalizing impairments, but with additional and so far undescribed deficits at the level of auditory sensory processing, potentially concerning deficits in ventral auditory stream mechanisms (auditory object identification). Fourth, high autistic traits also revealed neural deviations in sensory cortices, but rather in the dorsal auditory processing streams (communicative context encoding). Taken together, social cognition of voice signals shows considerable deviations in psychopathy, with differential and newly described deficits in the BG system in primary psychopathy and at the neural level of sensory processing in secondary psychopathy. These deficits seem especially triggered during the social cognition from vocal communication signals.
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16
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Palumbo S, Mariotti V, Vellucci S, Antonelli K, Anderson N, Harenski C, Pietrini P, Kiehl KA, Pellegrini S. HTR1B genotype and psychopathy: Main effect and interaction with paternal maltreatment. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 144:105861. [PMID: 35853382 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Psychopathy is a condition characterized by atypical emotions and socially maladaptive behavioral patterns. Among incarcerated people, psychopathy has been associated with higher rates of crimes, recidivism, and resistance to treatment. Many studies have indicated significant heritability of psychopathic traits, but little is known about the specific contribution of genes and their interaction with adverse experiences in life. Considering the primary role that serotonin plays in cognition and emotion, we investigated TPH2-rs4570625, 5-HTTLPR, MAOA-uVNTR, HTR1B-rs13212041 and HTR2A-rs6314 as risk factors for psychopathy in the largest sample of institutionalized individuals studied so far, consisting of 793 US White male incarcerated adults, and in a replication sample of 168 US White male incarcerated adolescents. In a subgroup of the adult sample, the interaction between genetics and parenting style, assessed by the Measure of Parental Style (MOPS) questionnaire, was also evaluated. The HTR1B-rs13212041-T/T genotype, as compared to HTR1B-rs13212041-C allele, predicted higher psychopathy scores in both the adult and the adolescent samples. The interaction between HTR1B-rs13212041-T/T genotype and paternal MOPS scores, investigated in a subgroup of the adult sample, was an even stronger predictor of higher levels of psychopathy than either the genetics or the environment taken individually. Overall, these data, obtained in two independent samples, shed new light on neurobiological correlates of psychopathy with promising implications both at a clinical and forensic level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Palumbo
- Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Veronica Mariotti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Stefano Vellucci
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Klizia Antonelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Nathaniel Anderson
- The Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Carla Harenski
- The Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Pietro Pietrini
- Molecular Mind Lab, IMT School for Advanced Studies, Lucca, Italy
| | - Kent A Kiehl
- The Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Silvia Pellegrini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
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17
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Penagos-Corzo JC, Cosio van-Hasselt M, Escobar D, Vázquez-Roque RA, Flores G. Mirror neurons and empathy-related regions in psychopathy: systematic review, meta-analysis, and a working model. Soc Neurosci 2022; 17:462-479. [PMID: 36151909 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2022.2128868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Mirror neurons have been associated with empathy. People with psychopathic traits present low levels of empathy. To analyze this, a systematic review of fMRI studies of people with psychopathic traits during an emotional facial expression processing task was performed. The regions of interest were structures associated with the mirror neuron system: ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), inferior parietal lobe (IPL), inferior frontal gyrus and superior temporal sulcus. The analysis was also extended to structures related to affective empathy (insula, amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex) and to two more emotional processing areas (orbitofrontal cortex and fusiform gyrus). Hypoactivation was more frequently observed in regions of the mirror neuron system from people with high psychopathic traits, as well as in the emotional processing structures, and those associated with affective empathy, except for the insula, where it presented higher activity. Differences were observed for all types of emotions. The results suggest that the mirror neuron system is altered in psychopathy and their relationship with affective empathy deficits is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rubén A Vázquez-Roque
- Laboratorio de Neuropsiquiatría, Instituto de Fisiología, Benemerita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, México
| | - Gonzalo Flores
- Laboratorio de Neuropsiquiatría, Instituto de Fisiología, Benemerita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, México
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18
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Tesli N, Bell C, Hjell G, Fischer-Vieler T, I Maximov I, Richard G, Tesli M, Melle I, Andreassen OA, Agartz I, Westlye LT, Friestad C, Haukvik UK, Rokicki J. The age of violence: Mapping brain age in psychosis and psychopathy. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 36:103181. [PMID: 36088844 PMCID: PMC9474919 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Young chronological age is one of the strongest predictors for antisocial behaviour in the general population and for violent offending in individuals with psychotic disorders. An individual's age can be predicted with high accuracy using neuroimaging and machine-learning. The deviation between predicted and chronological age, i.e., brain age gap (BAG) has been suggested to reflect brain health, likely relating partly to neurodevelopmental and aging-related processes and specific disease mechanisms. Higher BAG has been demonstrated in patients with psychotic disorders. However, little is known about the brain-age in violent offenders with psychosis and the possible associations with psychopathy traits. We estimated brain-age in 782 male individuals using T1-weighted MRI scans. Three machine learning models (random forest, extreme gradient boosting with and without hyper parameter tuning) were first trained and tested on healthy controls (HC, n = 586). The obtained BAGs were compared between HC and age matched violent offenders with psychosis (PSY-V, n = 38), violent offenders without psychosis (NPV, n = 20) and non-violent psychosis patients (PSY-NV, n = 138). We ran additional comparisons between BAG of PSY-V and PSY-NV and associations with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score as a measure of psychosis symptoms. Psychopathy traits in the violence groups were assessed with Psychopathy Checklist-revised (PCL-R) and investigated for associations with BAG. We found significantly higher BAG in PSY-V compared with HC (4.9 years, Cohen'sd = 0.87) and in PSY-NV compared with HC (2.7 years, d = 0.41). Total PCL-R scores were negatively associated with BAG in the violence groups (d = 1.17, p < 0.05). Additionally, there was a positive association between psychosis symptoms and BAG in the psychosis groups (d = 1.12, p < 0.05). While the significant BAG differences related to psychosis and not violence suggest larger BAG for psychosis, the negative associations between BAG and psychopathy suggest a complex interplay with psychopathy traits. This proof-of-concept application of brain age prediction in severe mental disorders with a history of violence and psychopathy traits should be tested and replicated in larger samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Tesli
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Christina Bell
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Gabriela Hjell
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatry, Østfold Hospital Trust, Graalum, Norway
| | - Thomas Fischer-Vieler
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Drammen, Norway
| | - Ivan I Maximov
- Department of Health and Functioning, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway
| | - Genevieve Richard
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Martin Tesli
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingrid Melle
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Department of Adult Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingrid Agartz
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars T Westlye
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Christine Friestad
- Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; University College of Norwegian Correctional Service, Oslo, Norway
| | - Unn K Haukvik
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jaroslav Rokicki
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
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19
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The neurobiology of antisocial behavior in adolescence current knowledge and relevance for youth forensic clinical practice. Curr Opin Psychol 2022; 47:101356. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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20
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Moral judgments by individuals with psychopathic traits: An ERP study. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03034-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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21
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Ye S, Li W, Zhu B, Lv Y, Yang Q, Krueger F. Altered effective connectivity from the posterior insula to the amygdala mediates the relationship between psychopathic traits and endorsement of the Harm foundation. Neuropsychologia 2022; 170:108216. [PMID: 35339504 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108216] [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: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Psychopathic traits have been demonstrated to be associated with different moral foundations. However, the neuropsychological mechanism underlying the relationship between psychopathic traits and moral foundations remains obscure. Our study examined the effective connectivity (EC) of psychopathy-related brain regions and its association with endorsement to moral foundations (Harm, Fairness, Loyalty, Authority, and Purity)-combining questionnaire measures, resting-state fMRI (RS-fMRI), and Granger causality analysis. We administered the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale and Moral Foundation Questionnaire to 78 college students after RS-fMRI scanning. Our results showed that total and primary psychopathy negatively predicted endorsement of the Harm foundation. The EC from the posterior insula to the amygdala was negatively associated with primary psychopathy but positively associated with endorsement of the Harm foundation. Altered posterior insula-amygdala EC partially mediated the relationship between primary psychopathy and endorsement of the Harm foundation. Our findings demonstrated that individuals with elevated psychopathic traits may have atypical processes in recognizing and integrating bodily state information into emotional responses -leading to less concern for harm-related morality. Our findings deepen the understanding of the neuropsychological mechanism underlying the relationship between psychopathic traits and morality, providing potential neurobiological explanations for increased moral transgressions, especially those harm-related transgressions, committed by psychopathic individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuer Ye
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bing Zhu
- School of Marxism, Zhejiang Yuexiu University, China
| | - Yating Lv
- Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorder, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, China.
| | - Qun Yang
- Department of Psychology, School of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Frank Krueger
- School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
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22
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Teeuw J, Klein M, Mota NR, Brouwer RM, van ‘t Ent D, Al-Hassaan Z, Franke B, Boomsma DI, Hulshoff Pol HE. Multivariate Genetic Structure of Externalizing Behavior and Structural Brain Development in a Longitudinal Adolescent Twin Sample. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063176. [PMID: 35328598 PMCID: PMC8949114 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Externalizing behavior in its more extreme form is often considered a problem to the individual, their families, teachers, and society as a whole. Several brain structures have been linked to externalizing behavior and such associations may arise if the (co)development of externalizing behavior and brain structures share the same genetic and/or environmental factor(s). We assessed externalizing behavior with the Child Behavior Checklist and Youth Self Report, and the brain volumes and white matter integrity (fractional anisotropy [FA] and mean diffusivity [MD]) with magnetic resonance imaging in the BrainSCALE cohort, which consisted of twins and their older siblings from 112 families measured longitudinally at ages 10, 13, and 18 years for the twins. Genetic covariance modeling based on the classical twin design, extended to also include siblings of twins, showed that genes influence externalizing behavior and changes therein (h2 up to 88%). More pronounced externalizing behavior was associated with higher FA (observed correlation rph up to +0.20) and lower MD (rph up to −0.20), with sizeable genetic correlations (FA ra up to +0.42; MD ra up to −0.33). The cortical gray matter (CGM; rph up to −0.20) and cerebral white matter (CWM; rph up to +0.20) volume were phenotypically but not genetically associated with externalizing behavior. These results suggest a potential mediating role for global brain structures in the display of externalizing behavior during adolescence that are both partially explained by the influence of the same genetic factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jalmar Teeuw
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; (R.M.B.); (Z.A.-H.); (H.E.H.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-(088)-75-53-387
| | - Marieke Klein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA;
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (N.R.M.); (B.F.)
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nina Roth Mota
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (N.R.M.); (B.F.)
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Rachel M. Brouwer
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; (R.M.B.); (Z.A.-H.); (H.E.H.P.)
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dennis van ‘t Ent
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (D.v.‘t.E.); (D.I.B.)
| | - Zyneb Al-Hassaan
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; (R.M.B.); (Z.A.-H.); (H.E.H.P.)
| | - Barbara Franke
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (N.R.M.); (B.F.)
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Dorret I. Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (D.v.‘t.E.); (D.I.B.)
- Amsterdam Public Health (APH) Research Institute, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hilleke E. Hulshoff Pol
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands; (R.M.B.); (Z.A.-H.); (H.E.H.P.)
- Department of Psychology, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
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23
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Baskin-Sommers A, Brazil IA. The importance of an exaggerated attention bottleneck for understanding psychopathy. Trends Cogn Sci 2022; 26:325-336. [PMID: 35120814 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2022.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Inti A Brazil
- Radboud University, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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24
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ter Harmsel JF, van Dongen JDM, Zijlmans J, van der Pol TM, Marhe R, Popma A. Neurobiological Responses towards Stimuli Depicting Aggressive Interactions in Delinquent Young Adults and Controls: No Relation to Reactive and Proactive Aggression. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12020124. [PMID: 35203888 PMCID: PMC8869761 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12020124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurobiological measures underlying aggressive behavior have gained attention due to their potential to inform risk assessment and treatment interventions. Aberrations in responsivity of the autonomic nervous system and electrophysiological responses to arousal-inducing stimuli have been related to emotional dysregulation and aggressive behavior. However, studies have often been performed in community samples, using tasks that induce arousal but not specifically depict aggression. In this study, we examined differences in psychophysiological (i.e., heart rate, respiratory sinus arrhythmia, skin conductance level) and electrophysiological responses (i.e., P3, late positive potential, mu suppression) to aggressive versus neutral scenes in a sample of 118 delinquent young adults and 25 controls (all male, aged 18–27). With respect to group differences, we only found significant higher SCL reactivity during the task in the delinquent group compared to controls, but this was irrespective of condition (aggressive and neutral interactions). Within the delinquent group, we also examined associations between the neurobiological measures and reactive and proactive aggression. No significant associations were found. Therefore, although we found some indication of emotional dysregulation in these delinquent young adults, future studies should further elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms underlying emotional dysregulation in relation to different types of aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janna F. ter Harmsel
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (J.Z.); (T.M.v.d.P.); (R.M.); (A.P.)
- Forensic Mental Health Care, Inforsa, 1059 GL Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Correspondence: (J.F.t.H.); (J.D.M.v.D.)
| | - Josanne D. M. van Dongen
- Department of Psychology, Education & Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Correspondence: (J.F.t.H.); (J.D.M.v.D.)
| | - Josjan Zijlmans
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (J.Z.); (T.M.v.d.P.); (R.M.); (A.P.)
| | - Thimo M. van der Pol
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (J.Z.); (T.M.v.d.P.); (R.M.); (A.P.)
- Forensic Mental Health Care, Inforsa, 1059 GL Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Research and Quality of Care, ARKIN Mental Health Institute, 1033 NN Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Reshmi Marhe
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (J.Z.); (T.M.v.d.P.); (R.M.); (A.P.)
- Department of Psychology, Education & Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Arne Popma
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (J.Z.); (T.M.v.d.P.); (R.M.); (A.P.)
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25
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Bell C, Tesli N, Gurholt TP, Rokicki J, Hjell G, Fischer-Vieler T, Melle I, Agartz I, Andreassen OA, Rasmussen K, Johansen R, Friestad C, Haukvik UK. Associations between amygdala nuclei volumes, psychosis, psychopathy, and violent offending. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2022; 319:111416. [PMID: 34847406 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2021.111416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The amygdala is involved in fear perception and aggression regulation, and smaller volumes have been associated with psychotic and non-psychotic violence. We explored the relationship between amygdala nuclei volumes in violent offenders with and without psychosis, and the association to psychopathy traits. 3T MRI scans (n = 204, males, 18-66 years) were obtained from psychotic violent offenders (PSY-V, n = 29), non-psychotic violent offenders (NPV, n = 19), non-violent psychosis patients (PSY-NV, n = 67), and healthy controls (HC, n = 89). Total amygdala and 9 amygdala nuclei volumes were obtained with FreeSurfer. Psychopathy traits were measured with the Psychopathy Checklist-revised (PCL-R). Multivariate analyses explored diagnostic differences in amygdala nuclei volumes and associations to psychosis, violence, and psychopathy traits. PSY-V had a smaller basal nucleus, anterior amygdaloid area, and cortical amygdalar transition area (CATA), whereas PSY-NV had a smaller CATA than HC. Volumes in NPV did not differ from HC, and there were no associations between PCL-R total or factor scores and any of the nuclei or whole amygdala volumes. The lower volumes of amygdala nuclei involved in fear modulation, stress responses, and social interpretation may point towards some mechanisms of relevance to violence in psychosis, but the results warrant replication in larger subject samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Bell
- Department of Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Natalia Tesli
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tiril P Gurholt
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jaroslav Rokicki
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Gabriela Hjell
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatry, Østfold Hospital Trust, Graalum, Norway
| | - Thomas Fischer-Vieler
- Department of Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingrid Melle
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Department of Adult Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingrid Agartz
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kirsten Rasmussen
- St.Olavs Hospital, Forensic Research Unit, Brøset, Norway; Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Department of Psychology, and Department of Mental Health, Norway
| | - Ragnhild Johansen
- St.Olavs Hospital, Forensic Research Unit, Brøset, Norway; Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Department of Psychology, and Department of Mental Health, Norway
| | - Christine Friestad
- Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Norway; University College of Norwegian Correctional Service, Oslo, Norway
| | - Unn K Haukvik
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Adult Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Norway
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26
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Dugré JR, Potvin S. The origins of evil: From lesions to the functional architecture of the antisocial brain. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:969206. [PMID: 36386969 PMCID: PMC9640636 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.969206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the past decades, a growing body of evidence has suggested that some individuals may exhibit antisocial behaviors following brain lesions. Recently, some authors have shown that lesions underpinning antisocial behaviors may disrupt a particular brain network during resting-state. However, it remains unknown whether these brain lesions may alter specific mental processes during tasks. Therefore, we conducted meta-analytic co-activation analyses on lesion masks of 17 individuals who acquired antisocial behaviors following their brain lesions. Each lesion mask was used as a seed of interest to examine their aberrant co-activation network using a database of 143 whole-brain neuroimaging studies on antisocial behaviors (n = 5,913 subjects). We aimed to map the lesion brain network that shows deficient activity in antisocial population against a null distribution derived from 655 control lesions. We further characterized the lesion-based meta-analytic network using term-based decoding (Neurosynth) as well as receptor/transporter density maps (JuSpace). We found that the lesion meta-analytic network included the amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, ventro- and dorso-medial prefrontal cortex, fusiform face area, and supplementary motor area (SMA), which correlated mainly with emotional face processing and serotoninergic system (5-HT1A and 5-HTT). We also investigated the heterogeneity in co-activation networks through data-driven methods and found that lesions could be grouped in four main networks, encompassing emotional face processing, general emotion processing, and reward processing. Our study shows that the heterogeneous brain lesions underpinning antisocial behaviors may disrupt specific mental processes, which further increases the risk for distinct antisocial symptoms. It also highlights the importance and complexity of studying brain lesions in relationship with antisocial behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jules R Dugré
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Stéphane Potvin
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
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27
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Noppari T, Sun L, Lukkarinen L, Putkinen V, Tani P, Lindberg N, Saure E, Lauerma H, Tiihonen J, Venetjoki N, Salomaa M, Rautio P, Hirvonen J, Salmi J, Nummenmaa L. Brain structural alterations in autism and criminal psychopathy. NEUROIMAGE: CLINICAL 2022; 35:103116. [PMID: 35872437 PMCID: PMC9421457 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism and psychopathy are both disorders of social cognition and share numerous of their features but still differ distinctively in their clinical phenotype. The lower grey matter volumes in the right temporal pole and the left inferior frontal gyrus are the most prominent findings distinguishing violent offenders with high psychopatic from ASD individuals. Violent offenders with high psychopatic traits and individuals with ASD both present similar lower grey matter volumes in the right precentral cortex compared to controls.
The goal of this study was to elucidate the anatomical brain basis of social cognition through two disorders with distinctively different phenotypes of social interaction. We compared structural MR images of 20 individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 19 violent offenders with high psychopathic traits, and 19 control participants using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Our earlier study showed lower grey matter volume (GMV) values in the insula, frontal cortex, and sensorimotor cortex of the offender group compared to controls. In the present study, the images of the ASD group revealed lower GMV in the left precuneus, right cerebellum, and right precentral gyrus in comparison with controls. The comparison between the offender and ASD groups showed lower GMV values for the right temporal pole and left inferior frontal gyrus in the offender group. There was also an overlap of both disorders in the right pre-central cortex, showing lower GMV compared to controls. Our findings suggest structural differences between violent offenders with high psychopathy traits and ASD individuals in the frontotemporal social brain network areas, previously associated with empathy. We also provide evidence of similar abnormal structures in the motor cortex for both of these disorders, possibly related to uniting issues of social cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuomo Noppari
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Lihua Sun
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Vesa Putkinen
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Pekka Tani
- Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Nina Lindberg
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Emma Saure
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; BABA Center and Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hannu Lauerma
- Psychiatric Hospital for Prisoners, Health Care Services for Prisoners, Turku, Finland; Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Turku University Central Hospital, Finland
| | - Jari Tiihonen
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute and Center for Psychiatry Research, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Eastern Finland, Niuvanniemi Hospital, Kuopio, Finland; Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Niina Venetjoki
- Psychiatric Hospital for Prisoners, Health Care Services for Prisoners, Turku, Finland
| | - Marja Salomaa
- Psychiatric Hospital for Prisoners, Health Care Services for Prisoners, Turku, Finland
| | - Päivi Rautio
- Psychiatric Hospital for Prisoners, Health Care Services for Prisoners, Turku, Finland
| | - Jussi Hirvonen
- Department of Radiology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Juha Salmi
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, School of Science, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - Lauri Nummenmaa
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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28
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Mancinelli E, Li JB, Lis A, Salcuni S. Adolescents' Attachment to Parents and Reactive-Proactive Aggression: The Mediating Role of Alexithymia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182413363. [PMID: 34948969 PMCID: PMC8704311 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182413363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Aggressive behaviors can serve different functions, which might be understood by distinguishing between reactive (RA) and proactive (PA) aggression. Few studies were conducted on adolescents’ family precursors and emotional processes associated with RA or PA. Accordingly, the current study compared RA and PA by evaluating their association with adolescents’ attachment to parents and alexithymia. N = 453 Italian adolescents aged 15–19 years (Mage = 16.48; SD = 0.69; 33.6% males) participated in the study filling in self-report measures. Results showed that PA and RA are significantly associated and that PA was higher among males. Moreover, four mediational models were performed to assess the influence of adolescents’ attachment to mothers vs. fathers on RA or PA, considering the mediating role of alexithymia. Gender was included as a covariate. Mediational models’ results showed a direct and indirect effect, through lower alexithymia, of adolescents’ attachment to mothers and fathers on RA. Differently, only attachment to mothers showed a direct effect on PA, while attachment to fathers only an indirect effect, mediated by lower alexithymia, on PA was shown. Findings support the greater relevance of emotional processes for RA while highlighting the differential contribution of adolescents’ attachment to mothers vs. fathers upon PA. Implications are discussed, and suggestions for future research are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Mancinelli
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy; (A.L.); (S.S.)
- Digital Health Lab, Centre for Digital Health and Wellbeing, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, 38123 Trento, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-334-2799698
| | - Jian-Bin Li
- Department of Early Childhood Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;
| | - Adriana Lis
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy; (A.L.); (S.S.)
| | - Silvia Salcuni
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy; (A.L.); (S.S.)
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29
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Miglin R, Rodriguez S, Bounoua N, Sadeh N. A Multidimensional Examination of Psychopathy Traits and Gray Matter Volume in Adults. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 17:662-672. [PMID: 34878140 PMCID: PMC9250300 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsab131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Uncovering the neurobiological abnormalities that may contribute to the manifestation of psychopathic traits is an important step toward understanding the etiology of this disorder. Although many studies have examined gray matter volume (GMV) in relation to psychopathy, few have examined how dimensions of psychopathic traits interactively relate to GMV, an approach that holds promise for parsing heterogeneity in neurobiological risk factors for this disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate the affective-interpersonal (Factor 1) and impulsive-antisocial (Factor 2) dimensions of psychopathy in relation to cortical surface and subcortical GMV in a mixed-gender, high-risk community sample with significant justice-system involvement (N = 156, 50.0% men). Cortex-wide analysis indicated that (i) the Factor 1 traits correlated negatively with GMV in two cortical clusters, one in the right rostral middle frontal region and one in the occipital lobe, and (ii) the interaction of the affective-interpersonal and impulsive-antisocial traits was negatively associated with GMV bilaterally in the parietal lobe, such that individuals high on both trait dimensions evidenced reduced GMV relative to individuals high on only one psychopathy factor. An interactive effect also emerged for bilateral amygdalar and hippocampal GMV, such that Factor 1 psychopathic traits were significantly negatively associated with GMV only at high (but not low) levels of Factor 2 traits. Results extend prior research by demonstrating the neurobiological correlates of psychopathy differ based on the presentation of Factor 1 and 2 traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rickie Miglin
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Samantha Rodriguez
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Nadia Bounoua
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Naomi Sadeh
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Newark, DE 19716, USA
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30
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Calzada-Reyes A, Alvarez-Amador A, Galán-Garcia L, Valdés-Sosa M. Electroencephalographic and morphometric abnormalities in psychopath offenders. BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW 2021; 39:597-610. [PMID: 34800344 DOI: 10.1002/bsl.2548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The main goals of the present study were to replicate and extend current knowledge related to paralimbic dysfunctions associated with psychopathy. The research evaluated the quantitative electroencephalography, current density (CD) source and synchronization likelihood analysis during the rest condition and structural magnetic resonance imaging images to compare volumetric and cortical thickness, in inmates recruited from two prisons located in Havana City. The Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) was used as a quantitative measure of psychopathy. This study showed most beta energy and less alpha activity in male psychopath offenders. Low-resolution electromagnetic tomography signified an increase of beta activity in psychopath offender groups within paralimbic regions. The superior temporal gyrus volume was associated with the F1 factor while the fusiform, anterior cingulate and associative occipital areas were primarily associated with the F2 factor of PCL-R scale. Cortical thickness in the left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and the temporal pole was negatively associated with PCL-R total score.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Calzada-Reyes
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Cuban Center for Neuroscience, Havana, Cuba
| | | | | | - Mitchell Valdés-Sosa
- Department of Cognitive Neurosciences, Cuban Center for Neuroscience, Havana, Cuba
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31
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Abstract
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.
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32
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Jalava J, Griffiths S, Larsen RR, Alcott BE. Is the Psychopathic Brain an Artifact of Coding Bias? A Systematic Review. Front Psychol 2021; 12:654336. [PMID: 33912115 PMCID: PMC8071952 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.654336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Questionable research practices are a well-recognized problem in psychology. Coding bias, or the tendency of review studies to disproportionately cite positive findings from original research, has received comparatively little attention. Coding bias is more likely to occur when original research, such as neuroimaging, includes large numbers of effects, and is most concerning in applied contexts. We evaluated coding bias in reviews of structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) studies of PCL-R psychopathy. We used PRISMA guidelines to locate all relevant original sMRI studies and reviews. The proportion of null-findings cited in reviews was significantly lower than those reported in original research, indicating coding bias. Coding bias was not affected by publication date or review design. Reviews recommending forensic applications—such as treatment amenability or reduced criminal responsibility—were no more accurate than purely theoretical reviews. Coding bias may have contributed to a perception that structural brain abnormalities in psychopaths are more consistent than they actually are, and by extension that sMRI findings are suitable for forensic application. We discuss possible sources for the pervasive coding bias we observed, and we provide recommendations to counteract this bias in review studies. Until coding bias is addressed, we argue that this literature should not inform conclusions about psychopaths' neurobiology, especially in forensic contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarkko Jalava
- Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, Okanagan College, Penticton, BC, Canada
| | - Stephanie Griffiths
- Department of Psychology, Okanagan College, Penticton, BC, Canada.,Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Rasmus Rosenberg Larsen
- Forensic Science Program and Department of Philosophy, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - B Emma Alcott
- Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
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33
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Connections that characterize callousness: Affective features of psychopathy are associated with personalized patterns of resting-state network connectivity. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2020; 28:102402. [PMID: 32891038 PMCID: PMC7479442 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
There was significant heterogeneity in participants’ neural networks. Psychopathy associated with default mode-central executive network connectivity. Associations were specific to affective psychopathic traits.
Background Psychopathic traits are hypothesized to be associated with dysfunction across three resting-state networks: the default mode (DMN), salience (SN), and central executive (CEN). Past work has not considered heterogeneity in the neural networks of individuals who display psychopathic traits, which is likely critical in understanding the etiology of psychopathy and could underlie different symptom presentations. Thus, this study maps person-specific resting state networks and links connectivity patterns to features of psychopathy. Methods We examined resting-state functional connectivity among eight regions of interest in the DMN, SN, and CEN using a person-specific, sparse network mapping approach (Group Iterative Multiple Model Estimation) in a community sample of 22-year-old men from low-income, urban families (N = 123). Associations were examined between a dimensional measure of psychopathic traits and network density (i.e., number of connections within and between networks). Results There was significant heterogeneity in neural networks of participants, which were characterized by person-specific connections and no common connections across the sample. Psychopathic traits, particularly affective traits, were associated with connection density between the DMN and CEN, such that greater density was associated with elevated psychopathic traits. Discussion Findings emphasize that neural networks underlying psychopathy are highly individualized. However, individuals with high levels of psychopathic traits had increased density in connections between the DMN and CEN, networks that have been linked with self-referential thinking and executive functioning. Taken together, the results highlight the utility of person-specific approaches in modeling neural networks underlying psychopathic traits, which could ultimately inform personalized prevention and intervention strategies.
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