Brain scans reveal a shocking difference between psychopaths and other people
Key takeaways
- Neuroscientists have identified a measurable brain difference between people with psychopathic traits and those with few or none.
- Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the team found that the striatum was about 10 percent larger on average in psychopathic individuals compared with a control group.
- Psychopathy is generally associated with an egocentric and antisocial personality pattern.
Why this matters: new research or scientific developments with potential real-world impact.
Neuroscientists have identified a measurable brain difference between people with psychopathic traits and those with few or none. In a study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, researchers from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), the University of Pennsylvania, and California State University found that a brain region involved in reward and motivation was larger in individuals with psychopathic traits.
Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the team found that the striatum was about 10 percent larger on average in psychopathic individuals compared with a control group. The striatum sits deep in the forebrain and plays a role in movement planning, decision-making, motivation, reinforcement, and how the brain responds to rewards.
Psychopathy is generally associated with an egocentric and antisocial personality pattern. People with strong psychopathic traits often show reduced empathy, little remorse for harmful actions, and, in some cases, a greater likelihood of criminal behavior. Not everyone with psychopathic traits commits crimes, and not every person who commits a crime is a psychopath, but research has consistently linked psychopathy with a higher risk of violent behavior.