Psychopathy

Abstract

Tendency to crime increases in individuals with high psychopathic characteristics. Morphological abnormalities of the amygdala and prefrontal cortex are predisposing factors for psychopathy. Monoamine oxidase-A and its genetic variants (MAOA-L) are associated with structural abnormalities of the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex. The Psychopathy Checklist-Revised is a diagnostic tool used to rate the psychopathic or sociopathic tendencies of an individual. Impulsivity and mood disorder are common in sociopathy, while premeditated behaviors and hyposensitivity are the main manifestations of psychopathy.