High on Health: Do Psychopaths Have Smaller Brains?

As MAHA sweeps the nation, Americans are becoming more interested in their health. However, it’s not just about food, exercise, and physical health. Mental well-being is also part of the focus. Psychopaths, for instance, make up roughly 1% of the population but commit two to three times as much crime as those without psychopathic traits, according to PsychopathyIs.org, an organization that provides resources for individuals and families affected by the disorder. Its website reported that people on this spectrum are responsible for 30% to 40% of all violent crimes in the United States. What drives them to such behavior? One factor may be that certain areas of their brains aren’t as well developed.

Healthline describes the general symptoms of psychopaths as people whose behavior often conflicts with social norms, especially when it comes to laws and regulations. They tend to disregard or violate the rights and feelings of others and have difficulty feeling remorse or empathy. They are inclined to lie, manipulate, and deceive others, especially for personal gain or enjoyment. Often, these symptoms are detected as early as adolescence, but a diagnosis, according to Healthline, can only be confirmed after age 18.

A new study, published May 29 and led by the Research Center Jülich and RWTH Aachen University in Germany, looked at brain scans of men diagnosed as psychopaths and compared them with those of male volunteers without the condition. “Psychopathy is one of the greatest risk factors for serious and persistent violence,” they wrote in the paper.

The results showed that psychopaths had a significant reduction in total brain volume, with the thalamus, basal ganglia, insular cortex, and the brainstem’s pons all slightly smaller than normal. Other studies have shown a reduced size in the amygdala, striatum, and prefrontal cortex.

According to research, “these regions mediate control over involuntary actions, and are linked to emotional processing, interpreting sensory information, motivation, and decision making. In other words, these functions play a critical role in determining how we react to our environment,” Science Alert clarified. They continued:

“What’s more, the brains of psychopathic subjects were found to be around 1.45 percent smaller than those of control subjects, on average. This is tricky to interpret, but might point to developmental problems in people classed as psychopaths.”

The Difference Between Psychopaths and Sociopaths

While the two share similar traits, psychopaths and sociopaths are not the same, and typically, neither are the crimes they commit. Psychopaths are more likely to engage in violence, while sociopaths sway towards manipulation, theft, and deception, though they, too, can be violent. Psychopaths tend to be more strategic and less likely to react on impulse. They may plan events, carefully considering every element. Sociopaths, on the other hand, lean more toward acting out from anger, frustration, and revenge. To put it simply, psychopaths are described as the masterminds of crime, but sociopaths are more chaotic, impulsive criminals, making them more likely to get caught. Psychopaths seem to fit (or hide) better in society, so their criminal tendencies are not as noticeable.

Some famous psychopaths include John Wayne Gacy, also known as the “Killer Clown,” and Jeffrey Dahmer (the Milwaukee Cannibal). Infamous sociopaths include Ted Bundy and Charles Manson.

Of course, not everyone with a mental illness or condition is going to go out and commit a horrible crime. In fact, as Forbes reported, President Theodore Roosevelt was rated by psychologists as the most psychopathic person ever to win the Oval Office. This is because not all psychopathic traits are bad. One cluster that psychologists call “Fearless Dominance” includes boldness, charm, and physical fearlessness, all attributed to Roosevelt.

At least one in 100 people worldwide has symptoms of psychopathy, according to PsychopathyIs.org. “Because it is so common, nearly everyone knows at least one person who is psychopathic – but may not realize it.” Antisocial behavior is one of the main symptoms, but “people with psychopathy show opposite patterns of brain dysfunction as people who are antisocial for other reasons.”

While it’s generally believed that people become sociopaths – usually due to childhood abuse – psychopaths are born that way. There is no cure for psychopathy, but there is treatment, and psychopaths can live productive and law-abiding lives.