Aberrant type 2 dopamine receptor availability in criminal 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

doi:10.1101/2023.06.21.545877

NeurosciencebioRxivJun 21, 2023

Preprint

Aberrant type 2 dopamine receptor availability in criminal psychopathy

Lasse Lukkarinen iD, Jouni Tuisku iD, Lihua Sun iD, Semi Helin iD, Henry K. Karlsson iD, Niina Venetjoki, Marja Salomaa, Päivi Rautio, Jussi Hirvonen iD, Hannu Lauerma, Jari Tiihonen iD, Lauri Nummenmaa iD

Abstract

BackgroundPsychopathy 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. MethodsHere 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=19) using positron emission tomography (PET). D2R were measured with radioligand [11C]raclopride and MORs with radioligand [11C]carfentanil. ResultsPsychopathic subjects had lowered D2R availability in caudate and putamen, and D2R striatal 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 amygdala and nucleus accumbens. ConclusionsWe conclude that D2R signaling could be the putative neuromolecular pathway for psychopathy, whereas evidence for the aberrant MOR system is more limited.

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