title: Neural mechanisms underlying cognitive control of men with lifelong antisocial behavior.
abstract: Results of meta-analyses suggested subtle deficits in cognitive control among antisocial individuals. Because almost all studies focused on children with conduct problems or adult psychopaths, however, little is known about cognitive control mechanisms among the majority of persistent violent offenders who present an antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). The present study aimed to determine whether offenders with ASPD, relative to non-offenders, display dysfunction in the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive control and to assess the extent to which these dysfunctions are associated with psychopathic traits and trait impulsivity. Participants comprised 21 violent offenders and 23 non-offenders who underwent event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing a non-verbal Stroop task. The offenders, relative to the non-offenders, exhibited reduced response time interference and a different pattern of conflict- and error-related activity in brain areas involved in cognitive control, attention, language, and emotion processing, that is, the anterior cingulate, dorsolateral prefrontal, superior temporal and postcentral cortices, putamen, thalamus, and amygdala. Moreover, between-group differences in behavioural and neural responses revealed associations with core features of psychopathy and attentional impulsivity. Thus, the results of the present study confirmed the hypothesis that offenders with ASPD display alterations in the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive control and that those alterations relate, at least in part, to personality characteristics.
authors: Division of Forensic Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL-University Hospital Bochum, Alexandrinenstr. 1-3, 44791 Bochum, Germany; Institute of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany. Electronic address: boris.schiffer@uni-due.de.
authors: Boris
authors: B
authors: Schiffer
authors: Institute of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen, Germany.
authors: Christina
authors: C
authors: Pawliczek
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
authors: Bernhard
authors: B
authors: Mu Ller
authors: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University, Hospital Essen, Germany.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Forsting
authors: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University, Hospital Essen, Germany; Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Innsbruck, Austria.
authors: Elke
authors: E
authors: Gizewski
authors: Institute of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
authors: Norbert
authors: N
authors: Leygraf
authors: Département de Psychiatrie, Université de Montréal, Canada; Institute of Psychiatry, King´s College London, United Kingdom.
authors: Sheilagh
authors: S
authors: Hodgins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D057237:Criminals / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology; D011930:Reaction Time; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Antisocial personality disorder; Event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging; Stroop test; Violent criminal offending