Imaging decision about whether to benefit self by harming others: Adolescents with conduct and substance problems, with or without callous-unemotionality, or developing typically

We sought to identify brain activation differences in conduct-problem youth with limited prosocial emotions (LPE) compared to conduct-problem youth without LPE and community adolescents, and to test associations between brain activation and severity of callous-unemotional traits. We utilized a novel task, which asks subjects to repeatedly decide whether to accept offers where they will benefit but a beneficent other will be harmed. Behavior on this task has been previously associated with levels of prosocial emotions and severity of callous-unemotional traits, and is related to empathic concern.

Source: Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging - March 10, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Joseph T. Sakai, Manish S. Dalwani, Susan K. Mikulich-Gilbertson, Kristen Raymond, Shannon McWilliams, Jody Tanabe, Don Rojas, Michael Regner, Marie T. Banich, Thomas J. Crowley Source Type: research