HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter View responses Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Benning, T. B. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Benning, T. B.

Neuroimaging psychopathy: lessons from Lombroso

Camlet Lodge, Chase Farm Hospital Site, The Ridgeway, Enfield EN2 8JL, UK

Blair (2003) outlined a neurobiological basis for psychopathy. The orbitofrontal cortex has also been implicated in psychopathy by other authors (Dolan, 1999). A strength of Blair's article was its proposal of an integrated model of psychopathy in which the process of socialisation is impeded at a neural level. Such a ‘biosocial’ theory seems to make intuitive sense. However, concerns arise based on the drawing of parallels with research done over a century ago by Cesare Lombroso, an Italian psychiatrist and criminologist. Modern researchers share with Lombroso (and some of his predecessors, such as Pella and Gall; see Walsh, 2003) a desire to explain criminality in terms of innate biology. But as Gould states (Gould, 1980), ‘Major ideas have subtle and far reaching extensions’ and a brief glance at Lombroso's theory and its ‘social extension’ can flag up the dangers associated with modern neuroimaging in this area.

Lombroso believed that 40% of criminals were ‘born criminals’ who could be distinguished by physical features including relatively long arms, prehensile feet with mobile big toes, low and narrow forehead, large ears, thick skull, large jaw, etc. (Gould, 1980). A particularly unnerving aspect of Lombroso's work is that he campaigned on the basis of his theory for a preventive criminology: ‘society need not wait for the act itself, for physical and social stigmata define the potential criminal. He can be identified, watched and whisked away at the first manifestation of his irrevocable nature’ (Gould, 1980). Lombroso also ‘recommended irrevocable detention for life for any recidivist with the telltale stigmata’ (Gould, 1980).

This should serve as a warning in the modern era, where the spirit of Lombroso lives on. One fears a scenario in which a brain scan diagnosis of psychopathy legitimises the preventive incarceration of a ‘high-risk’ individual, and in which a static neurostructural deficit may lead to a therapeutically nihilistic approach to such an individual on the grounds that he is ‘beyond rehabilitation’. Combining the above two positions, the perception of an individual as both dangerous and unchanging may lead to a ‘lock them up for good’ ethos.

Lastly, there are dangers in assuming a causal link between psychopathy and structural brain change. One consequence of this, in terms of individual responsibility, would be the inappropriate invocation of a deterministic argument by a defendant seeking exculpation for an offence.

REFERENCES

Blair, R. J. R. (2003) Neurobiological basis of psychopathology. British Journal of Psychiatry, 182, 5-7.[Free Full Text]

Dolan, R. J. (1999) On the neurology of morals. Nature Neuroscience, 2, 927 -929.[CrossRef][Medline]

Gould, S. J. (1980) Ever Since Darwin: Reflections in Natural History. Harmondsworth: Penguin.

Walsh, A. (2003) The HolyTrinity and the legacy of the Italian School of Criminal Anthropology. Human Nature Review, 2, 1 -11.

eLetters:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter View responses Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Benning, T. B. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Benning, T. B.