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Exploring the Criminal Mind in Dementia with Imaging and Meta-analyses

Poster No:

743

Submission Type:

Abstract Submission

Authors:

Matthias Schroeter¹, Marija Zuvela², Lena Szabo³, Karsten Mueller⁴

Institutions:

¹Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Sachsen, ²Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, ³University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, ⁴Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany

First Author:

Matthias Schroeter
Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences
Leipzig, Sachsen

Co-Author(s):

Marija Zuvela
Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Amsterdam
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Lena Szabo
University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre
Sydney, New South Wales

Karsten Mueller
Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences
Leipzig, Germany

Introduction:

Subjects with dementia might exhibit criminal risk behavior (CB), even in early disease stages.

Methods:

Here, we investigated the prevalence and neural correlates of CB in dementia. Firstly, we examined CB prevalence across all neurodegenerative syndromes with a systematic review and quantitative meta-analysis according to PRISMA criteria and preregistered in PROSPERO. Mean frequencies and odds ratios were calculated and compared. Secondly, we investigated the neural correlates of CB with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), known to show CB most frequently.

Results:

The meta-analysis included 236,360 persons. Studies originated from different countries, with largest contributing country being the U.S.A., followed by Scandinavian countries, i.e., Sweden and Finland, and additionally Germany and Japan. All quantitative analyses revealed a very consistent picture: CB prevalence was highest in bvFTD (>50%), followed by semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (40%), but rather low in vascular dementia and Huntington's disease (15%), Alzheimer's disease (10%), lowest in Parkinsonian syndromes (<10%). The systematic literature review revealed that CB prevalence is more frequent in early disease course than in the general population, but declines thereafter below population levels. Men are overrepresented.
To explore the underlying neurobiological mechanisms we investigated structural and functional brain changes related to CB in bvFTD in a cohort of 113 subjects. Patients with bvFTD showed CB including theft, physical violence, sexual assault, drug abuse, and violations against traffic law. Gray matter density and cortical thickness were reduced in the temporal lobe predominantly in the left hemisphere in CB. Impairment in brain structure was correlated with disinhibition. Investigating functional MRI data, CB was associated with functional brain dysconnectivity particularly between the left anterior superior temporal gyrus and widely distributed cortical regions including areas in the vicinity of the precentral sulcus and the inferior frontal junction, related to executive functions.

·Voxel-based analysis (left panel) and region-based analysis (right panel) showing gray matter density (GMD) decrease with criminal behavior in the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD)

Conclusions:

CB is a common symptom in dementia, most pronounced in bvFTD. CB in bvFTD was related to the left temporal lobe, disinhibition, and reduced connectivity in particular to frontal regions. CB committed for the first time at mid-age could be an indicator of incident dementia, requiring earliest diagnosis and therapy.

Disorders of the Nervous System:

Neurodegenerative/ Late Life (eg. Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s)

Emotion, Motivation and Social Neuroscience:

Social Interaction

Higher Cognitive Functions:

Executive Function, Cognitive Control and Decision Making ¹

Neuroanatomy, Physiology, Metabolism and Neurotransmission:

Cortical Anatomy and Brain Mapping

Novel Imaging Acquisition Methods:

Anatomical MRI ²

Keywords:

Degenerative Disease

FUNCTIONAL MRI

MRI

Social Interactions

STRUCTURAL MRI

^1|2Indicates the priority used for review

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Healthy subjects only or patients (note that patient studies may also involve healthy subjects):

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Were any human subjects research approved by the relevant Institutional Review Board or ethics panel? NOTE: Any human subjects studies without IRB approval will be automatically rejected.

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Please indicate which methods were used in your research:

Functional MRI

Structural MRI

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3.0T

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