title: Neuronal correlates of personal space intrusion in violent offenders.
abstract: Personal space (PS) is defined as the imagery region immediately surrounding our body, which acts as safety zone. It has been suggested that PS is enlarged in violent offenders and that this group shows an enhanced sensitivity to the reduction of interpersonal distance. In the present fMRI study high-risk violent offenders and noncriminal controls were presented with photos of neutral facial expressions by men and women. All images were shown twice, as static photos, and animated (i.e., appearing to approach the subject) in order to simulate PS intrusion. Approaching faces generally provoked activation of a fronto-parietal network and the insula. Offenders responded with greater insula activation to approaching faces, especially when the person was male. Insular activation has been recognized before as a neuronal correlate of potential threat and harm detection in PS. The increased reactivity of violent offenders is possibly a result of their hostile attribution bias.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology, BioTechMedGraz, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2/DG, 8010, Graz, Austria. anne.schienle@uni-graz.at.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schienle
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology, BioTechMedGraz, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2/DG, 8010, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wabnegger
authors.affiliation: Graz-Karlau State Correctional Facility, Herrgottwiesgasse 50, 8200, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leitner
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology, BioTechMedGraz, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2/DG, 8010, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Leutgeb
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D057237:Criminals; D005149:Facial Expression; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D010550:Personal Space; D012938:Social Perception; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D014754:Violence; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Insula; Personal space intrusion; Violent offenders; fMRI