Forensic Focus

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="240" caption="Structural (left) and functional (right) MRI scan data shows that subjects with the violence-related version of the MAO-A gene (MAOA-L) had reduced volume and activity of the anterior cingulate cortex (blue area in front part of brain at left and corresponding yellow area in at right), which is thought to be the hub of a circuit responsible for regulating impulsive aggression. The color-coded areas show where subjects with the L gene type differed from subjects with the H gene type. Source: NIMH Clinical Brain Disorders Branch"][/caption]

A few months ago I wrote a two-part post about how fMRI and PET scan technology were able to detect differences in the brains of psychopaths compared to non-psychopathic individuals. This area of research has identified that psychopathy has a genetic component, and has even been used in court cases to determine sentencing.

Recently, I came across a story on NPR about a neuroscientist who studies these scans, and decided to analyze his own brain scans and those of his family to determine if psychopathy was present. What he found was more than a little disturbing to him…

One Comment to
The Effect of Nature & Nurture on Psychopathy: The Case of James Fallon

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  • Can a person be able to control his phsycopathy?Meaning can he turn it on and off? Be able to feel when he wants to,and not to feel when he desires

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    Recent Comments
    • purplecasket: I agree with L to an extent. I think ‘normal’ itself is a construction in some ways....
    • nonamouse: I’ve been thinking that the man who has caused me immense suffering over the past few years is a...
    • nonamouse: L, you might have Borderline Personality Disorder. Regardless of whether or not you have a...
    • nonamouse: Probably “psychopath” fits you better than “sociopath”, wouldn’t you say?
    • Ian: Thank you for writing this, I found it very insightful. The more I read about sociopathy and psychopathy, the...
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