Abnormal interhemispheric connectivity in male psychopathic offenders

Psychopathic traits in adolescents are associated with higher structural connectivity

“…However, consistent with other recent studies (Hoppenbrouwers et al, 2013;Zhang et al, 2014;Hoppenbrouwers et al, 2014), we showed more widespread structural connectivity differences related to psychopathy and its constituting dimensions. These findings add to emerging evidence that the neurobiological mechanisms underlying psychopathy are much more widespread than some models of psychopathy (e.g., Blair, 2013) have suggested.…”

Mesocorticolimbic dopamine functioning in primary psychopathy: A source of within-group heterogeneity

“…Indeed, it has been reported that in psychopathic offenders, the left hemisphere does not adequately process input from the right hemisphere (Hoppenbrouwers et al, 2014). In contrast, left-to-right connectivity has been found to be intact in psychopathic offenders (Hoppenbrouwers et al, 2014). Therefore, when psychopaths are verbally instructed to consciously direct attention or to deliberately induce the appropriate emotion (thereby soliciting left-hemisphere capacities) their initial amygdalar hyporesponsivity and emotional insensitivity is no longer observed Larson et al, 2013;Meffert et al, 2013).…”

“…Coherent with this inter-hemispheric lateralization of fronto-limbic functionality, psychopathic subjects are primarily impaired in spontaneous and intuitive emotional reactions to (peripheral) aversive stimuli (Newman and Lorenz, 2003). Indeed, it has been reported that in psychopathic offenders, the left hemisphere does not adequately process input from the right hemisphere (Hoppenbrouwers et al, 2014). In contrast, left-to-right connectivity has been found to be intact in psychopathic offenders (Hoppenbrouwers et al, 2014).…”

“…Hoppenbrouwers et al (2014) reported that right to left connectivity is affected in psychopathic offenders, whereas left to right connectivity is intact. In other words, the left hemisphere does not adequately process input from the right hemisphere in psychopathic offenders.…”

“…In other words, the left hemisphere does not adequately process input from the right hemisphere in psychopathic offenders. Stronger left-lateralized attentional focus on primary task-demands and relevant sub-goals, accompanied by a lower input of right-lateralized emotional processes, can contribute to reward hyperfocus while concomitantly dampening the impact of socio-emotional signals and consequences that are not directly within the primary field of focus such as peripheral warning cues that signal potential punishment, failure, or risk (Newman and Lorenz, 2003;McGilchrist, 2010;Baskin-Sommers et al, 2011;Kruschwitz et al, 2012;Hoppenbrouwers et al, 2014). Intriguingly, when participants are not afraid of being punished (which is inherent to psychopathy and related to a more stable serotonin functioning; Derksen, 2013, 2015),…”