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Gan C, Zhang H, Sun H, Cao X, Wang L, Zhang K, Yuan Y. Aberrant brain topological organization and granger causality connectivity in Parkinson's disease with impulse control disorders. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1364402. [PMID: 38725535 PMCID: PMC11079187 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1364402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Impulse control disorders (ICDs) refer to the common neuropsychiatric complication of Parkinson's disease (PD). The white matter (WM) topological organization and its impact on brain networks remain to be established. Methods A total of 17 PD patients with ICD (PD-ICD), 17 without ICD (PD-NICD), and 18 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. Graph theoretic analyses and Granger causality analyses were combined to investigate WM topological organization and the directional connection patterns of key regions. Results Compared to PD-NICD, ICD patients showed abnormal global properties, including decreased shortest path length (Lp) and increased global efficiency (Eg). Locally, the ICD group manifested abnormal nodal topological parameters predominantly in the left middle cingulate gyrus (MCG) and left superior cerebellum. Decreased directional connectivity from the left MCG to the right medial superior frontal gyrus was observed in the PD-ICD group. ICD severity was significantly correlated with Lp and Eg. Discussion Our findings reflected that ICD patients had excessively optimized WM topological organization, abnormally strengthened nodal structure connections within the reward network, and aberrant causal connectivity in specific cortical- limbic circuits. We hypothesized that the aberrant reward and motor inhibition circuit could play a crucial role in the emergence of ICDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caiting Gan
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Heng Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Huimin Sun
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xingyue Cao
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lina Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kezhong Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yongsheng Yuan
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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Cappelle T, Neumann CS, Cook AM, Kim E, Harenski CL, Edwards BG, Clarke GJB, Decety J, Kiehl KA. Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychopathic Traits in Justice-Involved Adult Women. J Pers Disord 2023; 37:195-212. [PMID: 37002938 DOI: 10.1521/pedi.2023.37.2.195] [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: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
Studies have documented associations between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and mental disorders. The relationship between psychopathic personality and TBI remains poorly understood, though both are associated with similar characteristics (e.g., low empathy, aggression, disturbances in social/moral behavior). Yet, it is not clear whether assessment of psychopathic features is influenced by presence versus absence of TBI, and which aspects of TBI may be associated with psychopathic traits. This study examined the psychopathy-TBI association in justice-involved women (N = 341) with structural equation modeling. We tested if measurement invariance of psychopathic traits was evident among those with versus without TBI and which TBI variables (number, severity, age at first TBI) predicted psychopathic features in conjunction with symptoms of psychopathology, IQ, and age. Results provided evidence of measurement invariance, and more women with TBI, compared to those without, met criteria for psychopathy. Younger age of TBI and TBI severity predicted interpersonal-affective psychopathic features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa Cappelle
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Craig S Neumann
- College of Arts and Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
| | | | - Esther Kim
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Department of Psychology, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
| | | | - Bethany G Edwards
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | | | - Jean Decety
- Division of the Social Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Kent A Kiehl
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Brazil IA. Social-affective functioning and learning in psychopathy. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 197:75-86. [PMID: 37633720 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-821375-9.00014-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Psychopathy is a personality construct for which impairments in multiple aspects of social and affective functioning are considered to be central. Individuals with elevated levels of psychopathic traits tend to exhibit maladaptive behaviors that are harmful to themselves and others, and seem to be limited in how they perceive and experience affective states. This chapter provides a brief overview of biopsychological theories and studies of psychopathy targeting impairments in affective processing and behavioral adaptation through learning. Also, current gaps in the literature will be discussed in addition to findings highlighting the need to routinely reexamine the validity and robustness of decades-old views on psychopathy in the light of recent multidisciplinary empirical research. The chapter ends with a short reflection on how alternative views may offer novel insights that may bring significant advances in the study of the biopsychological factors underlying psychopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inti A Brazil
- Radboud University, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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4
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Maurer JM, Paul S, Edwards BG, Anderson NE, Nyalakanti PK, Harenski CL, Decety J, Kiehl KA. Reduced structural integrity of the uncinate fasciculus in incarcerated women scoring high on psychopathy. Brain Imaging Behav 2022; 16:2141-2149. [PMID: 35882762 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-022-00684-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Both men and women scoring high on psychopathy exhibit similar structural and functional neural abnormalities, including reduced volume of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and reduced hemodynamic activity in the amygdala during affective processing experimental paradigms. The uncinate fasciculus (UF) is a white matter (WM) tract that connects the amygdala to the OFC. Reduced structural integrity of the UF, measured via fractional anisotropy (FA), is commonly associated with men scoring high on psychopathy. However, only one study to date has investigated the relationship between psychopathic traits and UF structural integrity in women, recruiting participants from a community sample. Here, we investigated whether Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) facet scores (measuring interpersonal, affective, lifestyle/behavioral, and antisocial psychopathic traits, respectively) were associated with reduced FA in the left and right UF in a sample of 254 incarcerated women characterized by a wide range of psychopathy scores. We observed that PCL-R Facet 3 scores, assessing lifestyle/behavioral psychopathic traits, were associated with reduced FA in the left and right UF, even when controlling for participant's age and history of previous substance use. The results obtained in the current study help improve our understanding of structural abnormalities associated with women scoring high on psychopathy. Specifically, reduced UF structural integrity may contribute to some of the deficits commonly associated with women scoring high on psychopathy, including emotion dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Michael Maurer
- The Mind Research Network, 1101 Yale Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA.
| | - Subhadip Paul
- School of Biological Sciences, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI), Narendrapur, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.,JIVAN- Centre for Research in Biological Sciences, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI), Narendrapur, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.,Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI), P.O.: Belur Math, Howrah, West Bengal, India
| | - Bethany G Edwards
- The Mind Research Network, 1101 Yale Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | | | | | - Carla L Harenski
- The Mind Research Network, 1101 Yale Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA
| | - Jean Decety
- Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kent A Kiehl
- The Mind Research Network, 1101 Yale Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA. .,Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
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5
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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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Saladino V, Lin H, Zamparelli E, Verrastro V. Neuroscience, Empathy, and Violent Crime in an Incarcerated Population: A Narrative Review. Front Psychol 2021; 12:694212. [PMID: 34393924 PMCID: PMC8355490 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.694212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Empathy is a fundamental construct that allows individuals to perceive and understand the cognitive and emotional state of others. Empathy is not only a psychological and sociological concept; it also heavily impacts our daily lives by affecting our decisions and actions. Empathy is connected to and involves specific parts of the brain which, if damaged or of reduced volume, can lead to actions that are morally unjust, aggressive, or simply denoting a lack of understanding and sensitivity. The literature affirms that the low level of empathy, guilt, embarrassment, and moral reasoning displayed by violent and psychopathic criminals is strongly associated with empathy-linked brain regions that are smaller in size or less developed. The aim of this review is to show empirical data over the last 5 years on the connection between empathy and neuroscience among violent and psychopathic offenders, reflecting on future research on the topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Saladino
- Department of Human Sciences, Society and Health, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Cassino, Italy
| | - Hannah Lin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Valeria Verrastro
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
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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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Abstract
Humans are highly social animals whose survival and well-being depend on their capacity to cooperate in complex social settings. Advances in anthropology and psychology have demonstrated the importance of cooperation for enhancing social cohesion and minimizing conflict. The understanding of social behavior is informed by the notion of social cognition, a set of mental operations including emotion perception, mentalizing, and empathy. The social brain hypothesis posits that the mammalian brain has enlarged over evolution to meet the challenges of social life, culminating in a large human brain well adapted for social cognition. The structures subserving social cognition are mainly located in the frontal and temporal lobes, and although gray matter is critical, social cognition also requires white matter. Whereas the social brain hypothesis assumes that brain enlargement has been driven by neocortical expansion, cerebral white matter has expanded even more robustly than the neocortex, coinciding with the emergence of social cognition. White matter expansion is most evident in the frontal and temporal lobes, where it enhances connectivity between regions critical for social cognition. Myelination has, in turn, conferred adaptive social advantages by enabling prompt empathic concern for offspring and by strengthening networks that support cooperation and the related capacities of altruism and morality. Social cognition deficits related to myelinated tract involvement occur in many disorders, including stroke, Binswanger disease, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, glioma, and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia. The contribution of white matter to social cognition can be conceptualized as the enhancement of cooperation through brain connectivity.
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9
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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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Maurer JM, Paul S, Anderson NE, Nyalakanti PK, Kiehl KA. Youth with elevated psychopathic traits exhibit structural integrity deficits in the uncinate fasciculus. Neuroimage Clin 2020; 26:102236. [PMID: 32182577 PMCID: PMC7076567 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Youth with elevated psychopathic traits represent a particularly severe subgroup of adolescents characterized by extreme behavioral problems and exhibit comparable neurocognitive deficits as adult offenders with psychopathic traits. A consistent finding among adults with elevated psychopathic traits is reduced white matter structural integrity of the right uncinate fasciculus (UF). The UF is a major white matter tract that connects regions of the anterior temporal lobe (i.e., the amygdala) to higher-order executive control regions, including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. However, the relationship between youth psychopathic traits and structural integrity of the UF has been mixed, with some studies identifying a negative relationship between adolescent psychopathy scores and FA in the UF, and others identifying a positive relationship. Here, we investigated structural integrity of the left and right UF using fractional anisotropy (FA) in a large sample of n = 254 male adolescent offenders recruited from maximum-security juvenile correctional facilities. Psychopathic traits were assessed using the Hare Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV). Consistent with hypotheses, interpersonal and affective traits (i.e., PCL:YV Factor 1 and Facet 1 scores) were associated with reduced FA in the right UF. Additionally, lifestyle traits (i.e., PCL:YV Facet 3 scores) were associated with increased FA in the left UF. Results are consistent with previously published studies reporting reduced FA in the right UF in adult psychopathic offenders and increased left UF FA in youth meeting criteria for certain externalizing disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Michael Maurer
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA; The Mind Research Network (MRN) & Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute (LBERI), Albuquerque, NM, USA.
| | - Subhadip Paul
- The Mind Research Network (MRN) & Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute (LBERI), Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Nathaniel E Anderson
- The Mind Research Network (MRN) & Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute (LBERI), Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Prashanth K Nyalakanti
- The Mind Research Network (MRN) & Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute (LBERI), Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Kent A Kiehl
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA; The Mind Research Network (MRN) & Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute (LBERI), Albuquerque, NM, USA.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To review recent neuro-imaging findings with respect to conduct disorder and callous-unemotional traits in childhood and comparable psychopathy in adult-hood that deepen the literature in important ways. RECENT FINDINGS Recent structural findings particularly bring clarity to the literature. First, they reinforce previous work indicating that severity of psychopathy is positively associated with extent of cavum septum pellucidum. This suggests psychopathy is associated with early neurodevelopmental disruption within limbic structures. Second, they clarify the direction of the association between conduct disorder and particularly callous-unemotional traits and white matter tract abnormalities even if it remains less transparent exactly which tracts are disrupted. However, conclusions based on recent functional imaging studies are more equivocal with inconsistencies in direction of emotional (albeit with notably more work confirming the previous reports of hypo-responsiveness in limbic regions) and reward responsiveness. SUMMARY The recent data are, for the most part, consistent with a view that callous-unemotional traits/psychopathy represents an early appearing neuro-developmental disorder particularly associated with compromised emotional (limbic) functioning. However, some patients presenting with severe antisocial behavior may also show hyper-threat sensitivity, perhaps reflecting trauma exposure, and require different clinical interventions.
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12
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Dotterer HL, Waller R, Shaw DS, Plass J, Brang D, Forbes EE, Hyde LW. Antisocial behavior with callous-unemotional traits is associated with widespread disruptions to white matter structural connectivity among low-income, urban males. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2019; 23:101836. [PMID: 31077985 PMCID: PMC6514428 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.101836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Antisocial behavior (AB), including violence, criminality, and substance abuse, is often linked to deficits in emotion processing, reward-related learning, and inhibitory control, as well as their associated neural networks. To better understand these deficits, the structural connections between brain regions implicated in AB can be examined using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), which assesses white matter microstructure. Prior studies have identified differences in white matter microstructure of the uncinate fasciculus (UF), primarily within offender samples. However, few studies have looked beyond the UF or determined whether these relationships are present dimensionally across the range of AB and callous-unemotional (CU) traits. In the current study, we examined associations between AB and white matter microstructure from major fiber tracts, including the UF. Further, we explored whether these associations were specific to individuals high on CU traits. Within a relatively large community sample of young adult men from low-income, urban families (N = 178), we found no direct relations between dimensional, self-report measures of either AB or CU traits and white matter microstructure. However, we found significant associations between AB and white matter microstructure of several tracts only for those with high co-occurring levels of CU traits. In general, these associations did not differ according to race, socioeconomic status, or comorbid psychiatric symptoms. The current results suggest a unique neural profile of severe AB in combination with CU traits, characterized by widespread differences in white matter microstructure, which differs from either AB or CU traits in isolation and is not specific to hypothesized tracts (i.e., the UF). Antisocial Behavior (AB; aggression, rule breaking) is a major public health concern AB and Callous-unemotional (CU) traits may emerge from disrupted neural connections AB was associated with white matter microstructure only at high levels of CU traits Associations did not differ according to race, income, or comorbid psychopathology Results suggest a unique neural profile for severe AB when combined with CU traits
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rebecca Waller
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Daniel S Shaw
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - John Plass
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - David Brang
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Erika E Forbes
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Luke W Hyde
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA; Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA; Survey Research Center of the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
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