Psychopathy--an approach to neuroscientific research in forensic psychiatry

"Psychopathy" is a construct that has come into vogue again in science and practice. In line with the growing impact, different diagnostic approaches have been used to investigate forensically relevant social behavior as well as involved brain functions and structures. Research on psychopathy has become of major importance for empirical research in forensic psychiatry. An overview on the development of the concept of psychopathy is given; the heterogeneity of the diagnostic tools is addressed, focusing critically on the characteristics of the included samples. Neurobiological findings on psychopathy are presented, focusing in particular on structural and functional imaging data. Limitations and further requirements of neuroimaging research in psychopathy are discussed. In order to emphasize the limitations of lesion studies, in particular in a forensic context, a case report on pseudoneurasthenia following orbitofrontal brain damage without any change in behavior is presented.