Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Brain Abnormalities,
PET Scan- Raine 1997
- AIM
- To measure brain activity
associated with violence
- Comparison
between a group of
murderers and non
murderers
- Does it vary?
- METHOD
- 2 groups
- 41 participants in each
- Group 1- participants
accussed of murder, but
pleading guilty by insanity
- Group 2- matched control group of
non murderers
- Groups were matched on a
basis of age, sex and
schizophrenia
- PROCEDURE
- Murderers (group 1) sent for
brain scanning
- Enable us to identify activity in the
brain
- Which parts are using more glucose/ energy
- Both groups were then
injected with a tracer
substance
- Substance= glucose mixed with
radioactive tracer
- Revealing which areas of the
brain are more active
- They then took part in a CPT scan
- Detecting certain signals for 32mins
- Once completed a PET scan was given
- Revealing levels of activity in different areas of the brain
- RESULTS
- PARIETAL CORTEX- less activity
- Linked with verbal ability- lower educational achievement
- PRE-FRONTAL CORTEX- less activity
- Linked to self control
- Little/no control over violent
impulses
- CORPUS CALLOSSUM- less activity
- Linked to self control
- LIMBIC SYSTEM-
- Linked to expression and emotion
- RIGHT SIDE (THALAMUS)
- More activity
- LEFT SIDE (AMYGLADA+HIPPOCAMPUS)
- Less Activity
- CONCLUSION- aggression and such behaviour is
biologically and not environmentally caused