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The brains of psychopaths have differences in structure and function
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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The brain structure of people diagnosed with psychopathy differs significantly from the brains of healthy people, according to a new study by scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA).
The study, which was conducted collaboratively between three labs at a maximum-security prison in Wisconsin, is unique. The findings may help explain the antisocial and impulsive behavior that some psychopaths exhibit.
In their study, the researchers compared MRI images of the brains of 20 prisoners diagnosed with psychopathy with images of the brains of 20 other healthy prisoners who had committed similar crimes.
In the study, the researchers found that psychopaths had reduced connections between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), a part of the brain responsible for feelings such as empathy and guilt, and the amygdala, which is responsible for feelings of fear and anxiety. Using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scans, the researchers found reduced structural integrity in the white matter fibers connecting these areas, and using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans, they found less coherent activity between the vmPFC and the amygdala.
"This is the first study to show structural and functional differences in the brains of people diagnosed with psychopathy," says Michael Koenigs, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin. "The two structures in the brain that regulate emotion and social behavior appear to be disconnected from each other."
"The combination of structural and functional abnormalities provides compelling evidence that the dysfunction observed in this socio-emotional circuit is a consistent characteristic of psychopathic offenders," says study co-author Newman. "I am confident that our research will shed more light on the source of this dysfunction and help develop effective treatment strategies for psychopathy."