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A magnetic resonance spectroscopy study of antisocial behaviour disorder, psychopathy and violent crime among military conscripts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2014

Cengiz Basoglu ,
Umit Semiz ,
Ozgur Oner ,
Huseyin Gunay ,
Servet Ebrinc ,
Mesut Cetin ,
Onur Sildiroglu ,
Ayhan Algul ,
Alpay Ates  and
Guner Sonmez
Cengiz Basoglu*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Umit Semiz
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Ozgur Oner
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Diskapi State Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
Huseyin Gunay
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Etimesgut Veteran Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
Servet Ebrinc
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Mesut Cetin
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Onur Sildiroglu
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Ayhan Algul
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Alpay Ates
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Guner Sonmez
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
*
Cengiz Basoglu, GATA Haydarpasa Egt. Hst., Psikiyatri Servisi Kadikoy, Istanbul 34710, Turkey. Tel: +90 216 542 20 20; Fax: +90 216 550 34 73; E-mail: cengizbasoglu@gmail.com
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Abstract

Background:

Prefrontal and/or temporo-limbic abnormalities associated with antisocial personality disorder (APD), high psychopathy scores and violent behaviours can readily be evaluated by neuroimaging methods.

Objectives:

In this study, we compared the brain metabolites in adult male military conscripts with APD, high psychopathy scores and serious violent crimes (n = 15) with age- and educational-level-matched healthy controls (n = 15) by means of magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Methods:

All cases were diagnosed by means of the Diagnostic Statistical Manual-IV APD module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM III-R Axis II Disorders (SCID-II) semistructured questionnaire in Turkish. The psychopathy scores were evaluated by means of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised translated into Turkish (PCL-R). PCL-R is a 20-item, reliable and valid instrument for assessment of psychopathy, both in categorical and dimensional natures. All patients had a total score of 29 (of possible 40) or higher from PCL-R, indicating a high degree of psychopathy.

Results:

Our results showed no significant differences in ratio of N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr) and choline-related compounds in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and amygdala–hippocampus regions of cases compared with controls. ACC NAA/Cr was significantly negatively correlated with both the PCL-R total score and the PCL-R factor I score (interpersonal/affective problems) among the cases.

Conclusion:

As ACC plays an important role in decision-making and emotional information processing, we postulate that the lower NAA/Cr ratio, suggesting impaired neural integrity, may increase the severity of interpersonal/affective problems of the psychopathy factor in male subjects exhibiting APD, high psychopathy overall scores and violent crimes.

Keywords

antisocial behaviouranterior cingulate cortexamygdala–hippocampusmagnetic resonance spectroscopyprefrontal cortex
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 20 , Issue 2 , April 2008 , pp. 72 - 77
Copyright
Copyright © 2008 Blackwell Munksgaard

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