Aberrant type 2 dopamine receptor availability in violent offenders with psychopathy
Lasse Lukkarinen,
Jouni Tuisku,
Lihua Sun,
Semi Helin,
Henry K. Karlsson,
Niina Venetjoki,
Marja Salomaa,
Päivi Rautio,
Jussi Hirvonen,
Hannu Lauerma,
Jari Tiihonen,
Lauri Nummenmaa
Affiliations
Lasse Lukkarinen
Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Finland; Psychiatric Hospital for Prisoners, University of Turku, Finland
Jouni Tuisku
Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Finland
Lihua Sun
Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Finland
Semi Helin
Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Finland
Henry K. Karlsson
Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Finland
Niina Venetjoki
Psychiatric Hospital for Prisoners, University of Turku, Finland
Marja Salomaa
Psychiatric Hospital for Prisoners, University of Turku, Finland
Päivi Rautio
Turku Prison Outpatient Clinic, University of Turku, Finland
Jussi Hirvonen
Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Finland
Hannu Lauerma
Psychiatric Hospital for Prisoners, University of Turku, Finland
Jari Tiihonen
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Center for Psychiatry Research, Stockholm City Council, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Eastern Finland, Niuvanniemi Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
Lauri Nummenmaa
Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Finland; Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Finland; Corresponding author at: Turku PET Centre c/o Turku University, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-6, 20520 Turku, Finland.
Psychopathy is characterized by antisocial behavior, poor behavioral control and lacking empathy, and structural alterations in the corresponding neural circuits. Molecular brain basis of psychopathy remains poorly characterized. Here we studied type 2 dopamine receptor (D2R) and mu-opioid receptor (MOR) availability in convicted violent offenders with high psychopathic traits (n = 11) and healthy matched controls (n = 17) using positron emission tomography (PET). D2R were measured with radioligand [11C]raclopride and MORs with radioligand [11C]carfentanil. Psychopathic subjects had lowered D2R availability in caudate and putamen, and striatal D2R availability was also associated with degree of psychopathic traits in this prisoner sample. No group differences were found in MOR availability, although in the prisoner sample, psychopathic traits were negatively correlated with MOR availability in the amygdala and nucleus accumbens. We conclude that D2R signaling could be the putative neuromolecular pathway for psychopathy, whereas evidence for alterations in the MOR system is more limited.
