White matter disconnection in acquired criminality

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Forensic Psychology
• Brain Imaging

Background:

• Structural brain imaging is increasingly used in criminal trials.
• Alterations in the right uncinate fasciculus are observed in criminal populations.
• The causal link between these brain changes and criminal behavior is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the causal role of focal disruption of white matter connections in criminal behavior using lesion studies.
• To compare lesion locations in individuals with new-onset criminal behavior to those with diverse neuropsychiatric symptoms.
• To specifically examine the involvement of the right uncinate fasciculus in criminality.

Main Methods:

• Analyzed lesion locations in patients with new-onset criminal behavior.
• Compared lesion sites with an atlas of the right uncinate fasciculus and all white matter tracts.
• Performed unbiased connectome-based analysis, including a subset of violent offenders.

Main Results:

• Lesions associated with criminality significantly intersected the right uncinate fasciculus more than lesions linked to other neuropsychiatric symptoms.
• The right uncinate fasciculus was the white matter tract most strongly associated with lesion-induced criminality, followed by the forceps minor.
• These findings were confirmed by unbiased connectome analysis, with the right uncinate being key in violent offenders.

Conclusions:

• Lesions associated with criminality show a greater intersection with the right uncinate fasciculus compared to other lesions and white matter tracts.
• Damage to the right uncinate fasciculus may play a causal role in the development of criminal behavior.
• This causal role appears particularly significant in cases of violent crime.