Problem 2 Flashcards
Do epilepsy and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) differ in their risk of violence compared with control populations ?
Yes, they did
while epilepsy was inversely associated with violence, brain injuries increase the risk
What do brain lesions affecting the inner or vmPFC lead to ?
Sociopathy or antisocial acts with disturbances in the moral emotions linked to the welfare of others
–> impairment of moral judgment + decision-making
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD)
Refers to a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects the frontal + anterior temporal regions, especially the
1. vmPFC
–> psychopathy
2. Orbitofrontal cortex
–> inhibtion
3. Anterior temporal regions
In which ways does FTD show? As this is termed dementia, is it memory loss?
No,
patients have a personality change and this can thus be rather coined a disorder of abnormal behavior
Name the 4 core features of the usual behavior of FTD patients.
- Transgression of social norms including sociopathic behavior
- Loss of empathy for others
- Disinhibited and compulsive acts
4. Committing criminal violations while retaining the ability to know moral rules + conventions
Do FTD patients qualify for “not guilty” by reason of insanity?
No,
as they do not have a general decreased capacity for rationality, nor would they be exonerated because of an internal coercion or irresistible impulse
BUT: they have a specific, brain-based impairment in moral reasoning
Recidivism rates of prisoners range between 35-67 %. Name risk factors for recidivism.
- Age
- Sex
- Substance abuse
- Unemployment
- Decline in general self-regulation
- Executive dysfunction
Executive functions
Refer to higher order cognitive functions including
- planning
- WM
- Attention
- Impulse control
–> upon re-entry into society it is crucial for prisoners to master these functions
Is there in association between criminality and executive functions ?
Yes,
people who have committed a crime at some point in their lives are shown to have executive function deficits.
Which executive functions are shown to be most impaired in prisoners ?
1. Attention
2. WM
3. Problem solving
4. Inhibition
–> suppressing dominant responses/impulses
5. Set shifting
–> finding new solutions
For what reasons can a prison be considered an impoverished environment ?
Due to the
1. Sedentery lifestyle
2. Social isolation
3. Lack of cognitive challenges
–> this way executive functions are negatively affected
Why is a decline in self control and executive functions so terrible for prisoners ?
Because, released prisoners may be
- less capable than they were before imprisonment to live a lawful life outside of crime
- less able to sustain focus on higher level goals
- more prone to impulsive risk-taking behavior
Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Refers to a significant disruption of brain function, structure or both resulting from the application of an external physical force
–> a common problem after TBI is aggression
Posttraumatic aggression
Is a common problem after TBI, where the aggressiveness may be directed to the self (suicide) or others
–> associated with frontal lobe lesions
How do the limbic system and especially the amygdala play a role in aggressive behavior ?
They both relay signals between the PFC and the hypothalamus
–> damage to PFC can cause a release of amygdala related signals that can lead to behaviors that cannot be controlled
