Unmasking feigned sanity: a neurobiological model of emotion processing in primary psychopathy.
BACKGROUND
The neurobiological basis of primary psychopathy, an emotional disorder characterised by a lack of fear and empathy, on the one hand, and extremely violent, antisocial tendencies, on the other, is relatively unknown. Nevertheless, theoretical models that emphasise the role of fearlessness, imbalanced motivation, defective somatic markers, and dysfunctional violence inhibition mechanisms have complementary proposals regarding motivations and brain mechanisms involved.


METHODS
Presently, incorporating the heuristic value of these models and further theorising on the basis of recent data from neuropsychology, neuroendocrinology, neuroimaging, and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), an attempt is made to construct a neurobiological framework of emotion processing in primary psychopathy with clinical applicability.


RESULTS
According to this framework, defective emotional processing in primary psychopathy results from bottom-up hormone-mediated imbalances at: (1) the subcortical level; (2) in subcortico-cortical "cross-talk"; that end up in an instrumental stance at the cortical level (3). An endocrine dual-system approach for the fine-tuned restoration of these hormone-mediated imbalances is proposed as a possible clinical application.


CONCLUSIONS
This application may be capable of laying a neurobiological foundation for more successful sociotherapeutic interventions in primary psychopathy.
van Honk
Jack
J
Utrecht University, The Netherlands. J.vanHonk@fss.uu.nl
Schutter
Dennis J L G
DJ
D000339:Affect; D000679:Amygdala / Q000503:physiopathology; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005239:Fear; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000502:physiology; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D012938:Social Perception; D013739:Testosterone / Q000502:physiology; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology
D013739:Testosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone