Program & Abstract Book - EPFL Latsis Symposium 2009

EPFL Latsis Symposium 2009: Understanding Violence
P-11
si z e m a t t e r s: in c r e a s e D g r e y m a t t e r
in c h i l D r e n w i t h c o n D u c t p r o b l e m s a n D
c a l l o u s-u n e m o t i o n a l t r a i t s
Poster Abstracts
De Brito, Stéphane1 ; Mechelli, Andrea2 ; Wilke, Marko3 ;
Laurens, Kristin1 ; Jones, Alice4 ; Barker, Gareth5 ; Hodgins,
Sheilagh1 4 6
; Viding, Essi
1 Department of Forensic Mental Health Science, Institute of Psychiatry,
King’s College, London, UK; 2 Department of Psychological
Medicine and Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College,
London, UK; 3 Department of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental
Medicine, University of Tübingen, Germany; 4 Department
of Clinical, Health and Educational Psychology, University College,
London, UK; 5 Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute
of Psychiatry, King’s College, London, UK; 6 Institute of Cognitive
Neuroscience, University College London
Brain imaging studies of adults with psychopathy have identified structural
and functional abnormalities in limbic and prefrontal regions that
are involved in emotion recognition, decision-making, morality and empathy.
Among children with conduct problems, a small subgroup presents
callous-unemotional traits (CP/CU+) thought to be antecedents of psychopathy.
No structural brain imaging study has examined this subgroup
of children. The present study used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to
compare whole brain gray matter volumes and concentrations of boys with
elevated levels of CP/CU+ traits and typically developing (TD) boys and
explored four a priori regions of interest. sMRI scans were collected from
23 boys with elevated levels of CP/CU+ traits (mean age = 11 years 8
months) and 25 TD boys (mean age = 11 years 6 months) selected from a
community sample of children. Data were analysed using optimised VBM.
Study-specific probability maps were created and four a priori regions
of interest identified (Orbitofrontal [OFC], anterior cingulate [ACC], and
anterior insular cortices, and amygdala). Both gray matter volume and
concentration were examined controlling for cognitive ability and hyperactivity-inattention
symptoms. Boys with CP/CU+ traits, as compared to TD
boys, presented increased gray matter concentration in the medial OFC
and ACC, as well as increased gray matter volume and concentration in
the temporal lobes bilaterally. These findings may indicate a delay in cortical
maturation in several brain areas implicated in decision-making, morality,
and empathy in boys with CP/CU+ traits.
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