Psychopathy is associated with shifts in the organization of neural networks in a large incarcerated male sample

Abstract

HighlightsPsychopathy is linked to disruptions in neural information processing.Graph analysis revealed that psychopathy impacts neural network organization.Psychopathy is linked to a hyper-efficiently organized dorsal attention network.Subcortical structures are less central to neural communication in psychopathy.No psychopathy differences were found in default or salience network graph metrics.

Neural responses to morally laden interactions in female inmates with psychopathy

“…Moreover, the amygdala seed revealed psychopathy-linked reduced connectivity between right amygdala and right TPJ. These alterations in functional connectivity are consistent with recent reports of disrupted functional networks association with higher psychopathic traits in incarcerated males ( Espinoza et al, 2018 , Tillem et al, 2019 ). Thus, psychopathy appears to alter connectivity within the social cognition network when inmates viewed morally laden images.…”

Connections that characterize callousness: Affective features of psychopathy are associated with personalized patterns of resting-state network connectivity

“…Psychopathic traits were not associated with resting-state connectivity within or between the SN and DMN, in contrast to II theory. Previous studies using traditional methods ( Philippi et al, 2015 ) and network modeling ( Lindner et al, 2018 , Tillem et al, 2019 ) have also not consistently found these associations. Thus, emotion and attention impairments observed in psychopathy may not be driven by abnormal communication among regions within the SN or DMN themselves, but instead reflect an imbalance with other networks, such as the CEN.…”

“…However, only two studies have been conducted in adults using such an approach. In one study, psychopathic traits were associated with increased centrality of DMN and SN nodes ( Lindner et al, 2018 ), whereas the other study did not find any significant associations with DMN or SN features ( Tillem et al, 2019 ). Notably, these studies were limited by focus on either women from the community or incarcerated offenders.…”

“…Node centrality. As exploratory analyses, we calculated node centrality for each participant (i.e., number of connections involving the node, regardless of whether they were contemporaneous or lagged) to determine whether any regions were “hub-like” (i.e., high number of connections to and/or from this region,), as in previous studies that have examined network organization ( Lindner et al, 2018 , Lu et al, 2017 , Tillem et al, 2019 , Tillem et al, 2018 , Yang et al, 2012 ).…”

“…Regarding offender populations, psychopathic traits vary dimensionally in the community ( Lilienfeld, 2018 ), and thus psychopathic traits may have a different etiology or presentation among individuals who have not been incarcerated for offenses ( Gao and Raine, 2010 ). Indeed, with one exception ( Lindner et al, 2018 ), all previous resting-state connectivity studies of psychopathy in adults have been conducted in offender populations ( Contreras-Rodríguez et al, 2015 , Espinoza et al, 2018 , Korponay et al, 2017 , Motzkin et al, 2011 , Philippi et al, 2015 , Tillem et al, 2019 ). Finally, neither study examined psychopathy at the facet-level.…”