versus hot-blooded impulses from emotional passion. The distinction between antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and psychopathy is highlighted in an interesting study conducted by Sarah Gregory of King’s College London and her collaborators. 19 They compared the brains of 17 violent criminals with antisocial personality disorder plus psychopathy (the people with whom you really don’t want to share a prison cell), to 27 violent criminals with antisocial personality disorder without psychopathy (well, if you have to share…), and to 22 non-criminals (your best bet for a roomie). The researchers made an effort to control their study by matching their subjects for age, IQ , and lifelong substance abuse histories. They also excluded anyone with a history of psychosis, bipolar disorder, or major depression.
The senior author of the study, Nigel Blackwood, described the differences between the subjects in the study in a King’s College London press release: “There is a clear behavioral difference amongst those diagnosed with ASPD depending on whether or not they also have psychopathy. We describe those without psychopathy as ‘hot-headed’ and those with psychopathy as ‘cold-hearted’.”
The “cold-hearted” subjects had reduced gray matter in the part of the prefrontal cortex that is located as far to the front of the brain as you can get, right behind the forehead. They found the same thing in brain tissue situated around the edges of their temporal lobes. (See Figure 9.) Interestingly, the brains of criminals with antisocial personality disorder without psychopathy, the “hot-headed” group, like the brains of non-criminals, did not show this abnormality.
If reduced gray matter in these regions, resulting from fewer or smaller neurons, turns out to be a feature typical of psychopaths, it would be consistent with their behavior and with the apparent contributions of these structures in making humans capable of feeling empathy, acting morally, feeling remorse, and the type of behavior that generally makes us welcome around others.
Anatomical Disadvantages
Are successful psychopaths simply smarter than criminal psychopaths? Do they have better impulse control than less successful, cruder antisocialcharacters? Has their environment, upbringing, or education given them an advantage? Are their brains different? The limited amount of research that has been done suggests the answers may be Yes to these questions.
Yu Gao and Raine of the University of Pennsylvania suggested in 2010 that successful psychopaths are successful because they enjoy “intact or enhanced neurobiological functioning.” 20 This advantage may explain their average or even above-average intellectual abilities. With better cognitive functioning, they find it easier to get their way without regard to the feelings of others and without getting caught or having to resort to violence. Even though they don’t experience emotions exactly like most people, they are nevertheless motivated to satisfy themselves and get what they want, whether it is power, money, or sex. They often have well-developed abilities to fake feelings and manipulate others to help them achieve their goals.
If Gao and Raine are correct, unsuccessful psychopaths may end up as criminals because they were unlucky enough to be born with, or to develop, brains and nervous systems that prevent them from thinking things through and experiencing emotions like most people. These deficits could be the reason they resort to criminal, and in some cases violent, behavior. It is possible that impulsivity and a desire for thrills to offset muted emotions help undo unsuccessful psychopaths.
A few studies suggest 21 that there are indeed neuroanatomical differences between psychopaths who have had no, or only minor, run-ins with the law, compared to the psychopaths you are liable to meet in prison. For example, reduced gray matter has been reported in the prefrontal cortex of criminal
The senior author of the study, Nigel Blackwood, described the differences between the subjects in the study in a King’s College London press release: “There is a clear behavioral difference amongst those diagnosed with ASPD depending on whether or not they also have psychopathy. We describe those without psychopathy as ‘hot-headed’ and those with psychopathy as ‘cold-hearted’.”
The “cold-hearted” subjects had reduced gray matter in the part of the prefrontal cortex that is located as far to the front of the brain as you can get, right behind the forehead. They found the same thing in brain tissue situated around the edges of their temporal lobes. (See Figure 9.) Interestingly, the brains of criminals with antisocial personality disorder without psychopathy, the “hot-headed” group, like the brains of non-criminals, did not show this abnormality.
If reduced gray matter in these regions, resulting from fewer or smaller neurons, turns out to be a feature typical of psychopaths, it would be consistent with their behavior and with the apparent contributions of these structures in making humans capable of feeling empathy, acting morally, feeling remorse, and the type of behavior that generally makes us welcome around others.
Anatomical Disadvantages
Are successful psychopaths simply smarter than criminal psychopaths? Do they have better impulse control than less successful, cruder antisocialcharacters? Has their environment, upbringing, or education given them an advantage? Are their brains different? The limited amount of research that has been done suggests the answers may be Yes to these questions.
Yu Gao and Raine of the University of Pennsylvania suggested in 2010 that successful psychopaths are successful because they enjoy “intact or enhanced neurobiological functioning.” 20 This advantage may explain their average or even above-average intellectual abilities. With better cognitive functioning, they find it easier to get their way without regard to the feelings of others and without getting caught or having to resort to violence. Even though they don’t experience emotions exactly like most people, they are nevertheless motivated to satisfy themselves and get what they want, whether it is power, money, or sex. They often have well-developed abilities to fake feelings and manipulate others to help them achieve their goals.
If Gao and Raine are correct, unsuccessful psychopaths may end up as criminals because they were unlucky enough to be born with, or to develop, brains and nervous systems that prevent them from thinking things through and experiencing emotions like most people. These deficits could be the reason they resort to criminal, and in some cases violent, behavior. It is possible that impulsivity and a desire for thrills to offset muted emotions help undo unsuccessful psychopaths.
A few studies suggest 21 that there are indeed neuroanatomical differences between psychopaths who have had no, or only minor, run-ins with the law, compared to the psychopaths you are liable to meet in prison. For example, reduced gray matter has been reported in the prefrontal cortex of criminal
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