Mesolimbic Dopamine Reward System Hypersensitivity in Individuals With Psychopathic Traits
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-14-2010
Publication Title
Nature Neuroscience
Volume
13
Issue
4
First page number:
419
Last page number:
421
Abstract
Psychopathy is a personality disorder that is strongly linked to criminal behavior. Using [18F]fallypride positron emission tomography and blood oxygen level–dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging, we found that impulsive-antisocial psychopathic traits selectively predicted nucleus accumbens dopamine release and reward anticipation-related neural activity in response to pharmacological and monetary reinforcers, respectively. These findings suggest that neurochemical and neurophysiological hyper-reactivity of the dopaminergic reward system may comprise a neural substrate for impulsive-antisocial behavior and substance abuse in psychopathy.
Keywords
Neuronal physiology; Pharmacology; Psychatric disorders
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences | Psychiatry and Psychology | Psychological Phenomena and Processes
Language
English
Repository Citation
Buckholtz, J. W.,
Treadway, M. T.,
Cowan, R. L.,
Woodward, N. D.,
Benning, S. D.,
Li, R.,
Ansari, M. S.,
Baldwin, R. M.,
Schwartzman, A. N.,
Shelby, E. S.,
Smith, C. E.,
Cole, D.,
Kessler, R. M.,
Zald, D. H.
(2010).
Mesolimbic Dopamine Reward System Hypersensitivity in Individuals With Psychopathic Traits.
Nature Neuroscience, 13(4),
419-421.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nn.2510