Weakened Functional Connectivity Between the Amygdala and the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Is Longitudinally Related to Psychopathic Traits in Low-Income Males During Early Adulthood

Abstract

Psychopathy is a complex disorder consisting of harmful personality traits and impulsive-lifestyle and antisocial behaviors. Weakened functional connectivity between limbic and prefrontal brain regions is thought to underlie impaired sensitivity to others’ emotions that contribute to the interpersonal and affective personality traits associated with psychopathy. We tested whether weakened functional connectivity between the amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) during the processing of fearful, angry, and neutral facial expressions was prospectively related to psychopathic traits in early adulthood. The sample included 167 low-income, racially diverse, urban males who completed a functional MRI scan at age 20 and questionnaire measures at ages 20 and 22. Weakened amygdala-vmPFC functional connectivity to fearful but not neutral or angry faces at age 20 was related to higher psychopathic traits at age 22.