The British Journal of Psychiatry (2009) 194: 229-235. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.108.053199
© 2009 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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Psychopathic traits and deception: functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Rachael S. Fullam, PhD

Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Monash University, and the Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia

Shane McKie, PhD

University of Manchester, UK

Mairead C. Dolan, MRCPsych, PhD

Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Monash University, and the Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia.

Correspondence: Rachael Fullam, Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, Monash University, Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health, Locked Bag 10, Fairfield VIC 3078, Australia. Email: rachael.fullam{at}forensicare.vic.gov.au

Declaration of interest

None. Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.

Background

There is relatively little existing information regarding the neural correlates of deception in individuals with psychopathic traits.

Aims

To investigate the relationship between neural responses during deception and psychopathic personality traits in a sample of male participants drawn from the normal population.

Method

Twenty-four male participants carried out a simple deception paradigm while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. Psychopathic traits were assessed in the sample using the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI).

Results

Mean response times were greater for the lie than truth condition. Lie responses resulted in enhanced activation of the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex. The PPI sub-scales, coldheartedness, fearlessness, Machiavellian egocentricity, social potency and stress immunity were found to be correlated with activation patterns in the brain circuitry implicated in both deception and related processes such as behavioural restraint and social cognition.

Conclusions

This is a novel technology that may prove useful in our understanding of some of the key components of the psychopathy construct in both clinical and non-clinical contexts.




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