Localization of Deformations Within the Amygdala in Individuals With Psychopathy

Abstract

Context Despite the repeated findings of impaired fear conditioning and affective recognition in psychopathic individuals, there has been a paucity of brain imaging research on the amygdala and no evidence suggesting which regions within the amygdala may be structurally compromised in individuals with psychopathy. Objective To detect global and regional anatomical abnormalities in the amygdala in individuals with psychopathy. Design Cross-sectional design using structural magnetic resonance imaging. Setting Participants were recruited from high-risk communities (temporary employment agencies) in the Los Angeles, California, area and underwent imaging at a hospital research facility at the University of Southern California. Participants Twenty-seven psychopathic individuals as defined by the Hare Psychopathy Checklist–Revised and 32 normal controls matched on age, sex, and ethnicity. Main Outcome Measures Amygdala volumes were examined using traditional volumetric analyses and surface-based mesh modeling methods were used to localize regional surface deformations. Results Individuals with psychopathy showed significant bilateral volume reductions in the amygdala compared with controls (left, 17.1%; right, 18.9%). Surface deformations were localized in regions in the approximate vicinity of the basolateral, lateral, cortical, and central nuclei of the amygdala. Significant correlations were found between reduced amygdala volumes and increased total and facet psychopathy scores, with correlations strongest for the affective and interpersonal facets of psychopathy. Conclusions Results provide the first evidence, to our knowledge, of focal amygdala abnormalities in psychopathic individuals and corroborate findings from previous lesion studies. Findings support prior hypotheses of amygdala deficits in individuals with psychopathy and indicate that amygdala abnormalities contribute to emotional and behavioral symptoms of psychopathy.

Neurocriminology: implications for the punishment, prediction and prevention of criminal behaviour

“…The type of deficit may vary in different subgroups of antisocial individuals. Adults and youth with psychopathic traits, who have blunted emotional responding and may engage in more cold, calculated aggression, have reduced amygdala volume 72 and functioning [73][74][75] , whereas individuals with a more impulsive,…”

“…Reduced amygdala volume in psychopathic individuals has been localized to the basolateral, lateral, cortical, and central nuclei -regions involved in emotional processing, fear conditioning and autonomic reactivity to affective stimuli 72 . Of note, patients with damage to the amygdala have a reduced sense of danger, are less fearful 77 , and have deficits in recognizing fearful facial expressions 78 (a process involved in experiencing empathy).…”

Brain imaging research on psychopathy: Implications for punishment, prediction, and treatment in youth and adults

“…In adults, findings have not been completely consistent, but generally trend towards a volume reduction in the amygdala associated with psychopathy (Yang, Raine, Narr, Colletti, & Toga, 2009;Boccardi et al 2011;Ermer, Cope, Nyalakanti, Calhoun, & Kiehl, 2012;Tiihonen et al, 2000;see Schiltz et al 2007 for a null finding). In addition to their finding of significant bilateral volume reductions in psychopaths, identified localized surface deformations in four of the 13 nuclei: the basolateral, lateral, cortical, and central nuclei.…”

Psicopatia e Reconhecimento de Expressões Faciais de Emoções: Uma Revisão Sistemática

“…A visão predominante atual é a de que a psicopatia e os déficits cognitivos e emocionais que caracterizam o transtorno, e o distingue dos demais, refletem uma disfunção específica da amígdala (Blair, 2010;Freedman & Verdun-Jones, 2010;Kiehl, 2006;van Honk & Schutter, 2006). Alguns estudos têm verificado alterações na amígdala de psicopatas, como menor volume e anormalidades estruturais em comparação aos controles (Weber, Habel, Amunts, & Schneider, 2008;Yang, Raine, Narr, Colletti, & Toga, 2009). Pesquisas demonstraram baixa ativação amigdalar durante tarefas de reconhecimento de medo em crianças com tendência à psicopatia (Jones, Laurens, Herba, Barker, & Viding, 2009; e em psicopatas adultos em experimentos de medo condicionado (Birbaumer et al, 2005).…”