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Psychopathic characteristics are related to high basal urinary oxytocin levels in male forensic patients
- Source :
- Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology. 24:309-318
- Publication Year :
- 2013
- Publisher :
- Informa UK Limited, 2013.
-
Abstract
- Background: Cerebral levels of oxytocin, elevated by intranasal administration, can increase trust, empathy and altruism, and decrease fear. We hypothesised that low levels of these characteristics (found in some personality-disordered forensic patients), would be associated with reduced oxytocin levels. Aims: To assess whether patients, with psychopathic characteristics associated with selfishness, callousness and the remorseless use of others, plus a chronically unstable, antisocial and socially deviant lifestyle, would show depressed levels of oxytocin. Method: Basal urinary oxytocin levels (an indicator of cerebral oxytocin) were assessed in 47 forensic psychiatric patients. Levels were compared with those in 21 non-patient controls, and correlated with psychopathic characteristics. Results: Oxytocin levels were markedly elevated in the patient sample compared to controls. Levels were also strongly correlated with traits associated with a socially deviant lifestyle. Conclusions: The results point to o...
- Subjects :
- medicine.medical_specialty
media_common.quotation_subject
Urinary system
Psychopathy
Physiology
Empathy
medicine.disease
Forensic science
Psychiatry and Mental health
Clinical Psychology
Basal (phylogenetics)
Oxytocin
medicine
Psychiatry
Psychology
hormones, hormone substitutes, and hormone antagonists
media_common
medicine.drug
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 14789957 and 14789949
- Volume :
- 24
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi...........294a7dba052b9e6bcf5e144d107ad4dc