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Credit: John A Beal, PhD (source)
Top Science of 2009
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#8: New discovery may end transplant rejection
- #9: Flu virus 'paralyzes' the immune system
- #10: Wii-hab helps treat Parkinson's
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Check out the whole list here
In celebration of the approaching New Year, I present a list of my most popular science stories of 2009. Taken from the vast expanse of all fields of science, they may not be everyone's top ten, but they are among the top news makers and will have repercussions well past the ending days of 2009.
This seems like a very obvious statement: something is strange in the brains of psychopaths. But finding proof to back up the obvious has been a long journey for researchers. When evidence was finally discovered, though, it made big news. The difference was not just in levels of chemicals that control mood and action. Researchers actually found a structural abnormality, a part of the brain that was shaped entirely unique way.
I was unable to reach the researhers for an updated interview, so enjoy the original story found below:
Scientists have long searched for a biological basis for psychopathy, a behavioral disorder attributed to chronic immorality. While previous studies have found no clear evidence, Professor Declan Murphy of the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London believes he has found an area of the brain that is decidedly different in a psychopath as compared to a normal person.
It is unsurprising that much of the research to date has focused on the amygdala (the part of the brain involved with emotions and aggression) and the orbitofrontal cortex (which deals in decision making). However, an unstudied area is the uncinate fasciculus (UF), a white matter region that connects the amygdala and the orbitofrontal cortex. While the UF may not have a direct behavioral role, its dysfunction may lead to abnormalities in the areas which it connects.
Using a precise form of MRI, Murphy studied the brains of those labeled as psychopaths who had been convicted of crimes ranging from manslaughter to repeated rapes. The imaging found “a significant reduction in the integrity of the small particles that make up the structure of the UF of psychopaths, compared to control groups of people with the same age and IQ. Also, the degree of abnormality was significantly related to the degree of psychopathy.” [EurekAlert]
When discussions turn to psychopaths and sociopaths, talk of criminal proceedings cannot be far behind. While the study was small and has not been repeated, the mind immediately wanders to a court room where MRI evidence is given to support the conviction of someone on trial for mass murder. The controversy of the topic is likely to be heated. Could a jury be convinced with biological proof that a person’s brain is marked with the brand of a psychopath?
That day, however, is probably far in the future. Dr Michael Craig, co-author of the study, stated, “If replicated by larger studies the significance of these findings cannot be underestimated. The suggestion of a clear structural deficit in the brains of psychopaths has profound implications for clinicians, research scientists and the criminal justice system.” [EurekAlert]
This research was published in Molecular Psychiatry.
Comments
I think that it is important to remember that mind and body are connected in a very real way, even when it comes to brain structure and function. We know that studying a certain subject grows brain tissue (Neural nets); and that people with strokes or other brain injuries can adapt to using undamaged parts of the brain to replace functions of damaged brain. Because the connection between thought and brain plasticity/damage, it is possible that these "psychopaths" have had experiences that impact the growth and development of these cells. I would be very cautious in attempting to find a priori brain based cause for sociopathic behavior. We do know that there are certain childhood experiences that create these behaviors in an almost predictable way. Perhaps abuse (trauma) and indulgence (spoiling) by parents/guardians/society, which most scociopaths have experienced, actually shapes the brain and its ability to function properly.
Great comment, Ms. Potter. That is a great line of inquiry; and I wonder if this research has lead scientists to investigate that distinction.
Ms. Potter, many CURRENT scientists agree with you. Alice Miller wrote many books about childhood trauma and repression creating violent pathologies. I think you are entirely correct that emotional experience affects physical brain cells.
This article raises more questions than answers.
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