Functional Connectivity of Moral Cognition and Traits of Psychopathy in Youth: An Analysis of the Scientific Literature

Abstract

The aim of the study is to analyze the scientific literature and evidence on the mechanisms of functional connectivity involved in moral cognition processes in youth with psychopathy traits. Scientometric methods of citation networks based on graph theory were used. Bibliometrix, Sci2 Tool, and Gephi were used for the analysis. It was found that the dorsal and ventral regions of the prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, angular gyrus, anterior cingulate and temporal cortex evidence functional alterations in young people with psychopathic traits. It was also reported that gray matter concentration in the left posterior and right anterior cingulate are possible endophenotypes of psychopathic traits. The theoretical, empirical, and legal implications of a moral neural perspective of psychopathy and antisocial behavior are discussed. The results demonstrated that psychopathic traits, which occasionally lead to criminal and violent behaviors, have a neurobiological basis related to moral cognition processes. However, a neuronal moral model has theoretical and practical limitations, as well as legal implications for free will and moral agency capacity.

Keywords

• antisocial behavior
• psychopathy
• functional connectivity
• juvenile
• moral cognition