Psychopathy
linked to brain abnormalities
New
research provides the strongest evidence to date that psychopathy is linked to
specific structural abnormalities in the brain. The study, led by researchers
at King’s College London Institute of Psychiatry (IoP) is the first to confirm
that psychopathy is a distinct neuro-developmental sub-group of anti-social
personality disorder (ASPD).
The study
was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical
Research Centre for Mental Health at the South London and Maudsley NHS
Foundation Trust and the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London and
published in Archives of General Psychiatry.
Most
violent crimes are committed by a small group of persistent male offenders with
ASPD. Approximately half of male prisoners in England and Wales will meet
diagnostic criteria for ASPD. The majority of such men are not true psychopaths
(ASPD-P). They are characterised by emotional instability, impulsivity and high
levels of mood and anxiety disorders. They typically use aggression in a
reactive way in response to a perceived threat or sense of frustration.
However,
about one third of such men will meet additional diagnostic criteria for
psychopathy (ASPD+P). They are characterised by a lack of empathy and remorse,
and use aggression in a planned way to secure what they want (status, money
etc.). Previous research has shown that psychopaths’ brains differ structurally
from healthy brains, but until now, none have examined these differences within
a population of violent offenders with ASPD.