Publications [#327149] of Gregory R. Samanez-Larkin

Journal Articles

1. Hosking, JG; Kastman, EK; Dorfman, HM; Samanez-Larkin, GR; Baskin-Sommers, A; Kiehl, KA; Newman, JP; Buckholtz, JW (2017). Disrupted Prefrontal Regulation of Striatal Subjective Value Signals in Psychopathy.. Neuron, 95(1), 221-231.e4. [doi]
   (last updated on 2024/04/18)

   Abstract:
   Psychopathy is a personality disorder with strong links to criminal behavior. While research on psychopathy has focused largely on socio-affective dysfunction, recent data suggest that aberrant decision making may also play an important role. Yet, the circuit-level mechanisms underlying maladaptive decision making in psychopathy remain unclear. Here, we used a multi-modality functional imaging approach to identify these mechanisms in a population of adult male incarcerated offenders. Psychopathy was associated with stronger subjective value-related activity within the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) during inter-temporal choice and with weaker intrinsic functional connectivity between NAcc and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). NAcc-vmPFC connectivity strength was negatively correlated with NAcc subjective value-related activity; however, this putative regulatory pattern was abolished as psychopathy severity increased. Finally, weaker cortico-striatal regulation predicted more frequent criminal convictions. These data suggest that cortico-striatal circuit dysregulation drives maladaptive decision making in psychopathy, supporting the notion that reward system dysfunction comprises an important neurobiological risk factor.