Analyzing with MRI the brains of psychopathic criminals convicted of attempted murder, homicide or rape with strangulation, Professor Declan Murphy and his colleagues from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London have identified certain biological differences that could explain this type of behaviour. Specifically, the alterations reside in a region of the brain called the uncinate fascicle (UF) that links the amygdala , a structure related to emotions and fear, and the orbitofrontal cortex , which is responsible for making decisions.
"If in successive studies with more subjects these results are confirmed," explains Michael Craig, co-author of the study published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry ,? We would be facing a structural defect in the brain of psychopaths, whose finding would have profound implications for doctors and researchers , and for the justice system ?.
