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Fernqvist A, Alexiou E, Zetterberg H, Howner K, Nilsson T, Andiné P. Plasma neurofilament light chain protein is not increased in forensic psychiatric populations: a pilot study. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1176266. [PMID: 37215673 PMCID: PMC10192562 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1176266] [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: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Neurofilament light chain protein (NfL) is a fluid biomarker of neural injury measurable in cerebrospinal fluid and blood. Patients with different neurodegenerative disorders and mild traumatic brain injury display elevated levels of NfL. However, so far, elevated levels of NfL have not been demonstrated in persons with psychiatric disorders. To our knowledge, the occurrence of NfL in the blood has not previously been studied in persons undergoing forensic psychiatric assessment or persons treated in forensic mental health services. Supposedly, these persons suffer from experiences and conditions with a higher risk of neural injury than other psychiatric patients. Methods In this pilot study, we investigated plasma levels of NfL in 20 persons undergoing forensic psychiatric assessment and 20 patients at a forensic psychiatric hospital. NfL values were compared with control groups of healthy individuals matched for age and sex. Results The prevalence of increased NfL in both forensic groups was low and did not differ compared with the controls. However, some persons undergoing forensic psychiatric assessment showed slightly elevated values. Discussion The slightly elevated values were observed in the group investigated closer in time to the index crime, when elevated NfL levels could be expected to be more prevalent due to acute conditions from the time of the offense. This gives reason to look further into this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Fernqvist
- Center for Ethics, Law and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Eirini Alexiou
- Center for Ethics, Law and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Forensic Psychiatric Clinic, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Katarina Howner
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Thomas Nilsson
- Center for Ethics, Law and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Forensic Psychiatric Clinic, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Peter Andiné
- Center for Ethics, Law and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Forensic Psychiatric Clinic, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Díaz Soto JM, Borbón D. Neurorights vs. neuroprediction and lie detection: The imperative limits to criminal law. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1030439. [PMID: 36591076 PMCID: PMC9801636 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1030439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- José Manuel Díaz Soto
- Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Universidad Externado de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Diego Borbón
- NeuroRights Research Group, The Latin American Observatory of Human Rights and Enterprises, Universidad Externado de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia,*Correspondence: Diego Borbón
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Borbón D. Neurosociology and Penal Neuroabolitionism: Rethinking Justice With Neuroscience. FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY 2022; 7:814338. [PMID: 35146021 PMCID: PMC8822047 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2022.814338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Diego Borbón
- The Latin American Observatory of Human Rights and Enterprises, NeuroRights Research Group, Universidad Externado de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
- Rizoma and Legal Psychology Research Groups, Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia, Bogotá, Colombia
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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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