Lecture Notes: Neuroscientific Study on Brains of Incarcerated Men

Introduction

• Research Focus: Examining differences in brain structures, specifically gray matter, in murderers vs. other criminals.
• Lead Researcher: Jean Decety, UChicago neuroscientist
• Collaborator: Kent Kiehl, University of New Mexico
• Published in: Brain Imaging and Behavior, July 5, 2019

Study Details

• Sample Size: Over 800 incarcerated men
• Regions Studied: Gray matter differences in orbitofrontal cortex, anterior temporal lobes
• Groups:
  • 203 individuals: Homicide or attempted homicide
  • 475 individuals: Violent crimes (e.g., aggravated battery/assault, armed robbery)
  • 130 individuals: Non-violent or minimally violent crimes
• Exclusions: Accomplices, accidental death, individuals with brain injuries or psychiatric disorders

Key Findings

• Reduced Gray Matter in Murderers:
  • Less gray matter in regions responsible for emotion, behavior control, and social cognition
  • Implications for empathy and morality processing
• Importance of Gray Matter:
  • More gray matter equates to more cells (neurons, glia); crucial for processing emotional data and controlling behavior

Research Significance

• Innovative Approach: Largest sample size for this kind of study
• Control for Confounding Factors: Psychosis and other psychiatric disorders
• Future Research: Ongoing studies on high-risk youths to assess predictive value of identified brain regions for homicidal behavior

Additional Contributors

• Ashly Sajous-Turner: First author, University of New Mexico
• Michael Koenigs: University of Wisconsin

Funding

• National Institute of Mental Health
• Macarthur Foundation Law and Neuroscience Project

Conclusion

• Caution: No causal relationship established between gray matter reduction and homicide
• Potential for Future Implications: Results may inform understanding of brain structures related to criminal behavior

Reference

• Aberrant brain gray matter in murderers, Sajous-Turner et al., Brain Imaging and Behavior, DOI: 10.1007/s11682-019-00155-y