The psychopath magnetized: insights from brain imaging

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Forensic Psychology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Psychopathy is linked to a high rate of violent crime, imposing significant societal costs.
• Identifying the neural underpinnings of psychopathy is crucial for effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and synthesize neuroimaging findings on the neural correlates of psychopathy.
• To discuss the implications of these findings for theories, management, and policy.

Main Methods:

• Review of neuroimaging literature on psychopathy.
• Identification of consistently implicated brain regions and circuits.

Main Results:

• Converging evidence implicates the orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala, and cingulate/paralimbic structures in psychopathy.
• Methodological considerations in neuroimaging research are acknowledged.

Conclusions:

• Specific brain regions are consistently associated with psychopathy.
• These findings have potential implications for legal and policy decisions regarding psychopathy.