Mesolimbic dopamine reward system hypersensitivity in individuals with psychopathic traits
Joshua W Buckholtz, Michael T Treadway, Ronald L Cowan, Neil D Woodward, Stephen D Benning, Rui Li, M Sib Ansari, Ronald M Baldwin, Ashley N Schwartzman, Evan S Shelby, Clarence E Smith, David Cole, Robert M Kessler, David H Zald, Joshua W Buckholtz, Michael T Treadway, Ronald L Cowan, Neil D Woodward, Stephen D Benning, Rui Li, M Sib Ansari, Ronald M Baldwin, Ashley N Schwartzman, Evan S Shelby, Clarence E Smith, David Cole, Robert M Kessler, David H Zald
Abstract
Psychopathy is a personality disorder that is strongly linked to criminal behavior. Using [(18)F]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.
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Source: PubMed