NCJ Number
57185
Journal
Comprehensive Psychiatry Volume: 9 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1968) Pages: 62-70
Date Published
1968
Length
9 pages
Annotation
NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN 14 MALE SOCIOPATHIC INMATES OF A MAXIMUM-SECURITY PSYCHIATRIC FACILITY AND 14 AGE-MATCHED CONTROLS ARE EXPLORED.
Abstract
THE SUBJECTS' BRAIN WAVE ACTIVITY IN RESPONSE TO VISUAL STIMULI (FLASHING LIGHTS) WAS MEASURED BY MEANS OF COMPUTER AND ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM (EEG). THE METHOD OF TESTING MADE IT POSSIBLE TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNCTIONING OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM THAN IS POSSIBLE WITH ORDINARY EEG READINGS. THE EXPERIMENTAL SUBJECTS WERE DIFFERENT FROM CONTROLS IN THREE WAYS: (1) INCREASED AMPLITUDE OF RESPONSE AT THE THIRD OCCIPITAL ELECTRODE TO SINGLE FLASHES AND TO 30-MILLISECOND PAIRED FLASHES, (2) GREATER INCIDENCE OF TEMPORAL THETA BRAIN WAVE ACTIVITY, AND (3) RELATIVELY LITTLE DIFFERENCE IN SPECTRAL DENSITY PATTERNS (ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY) DURING STIMULATION AND RESTING STATES. ALTHOUGH TENTATIVE, THE FINDINGS ARE CONSISTENT WITH TWO HYPOTHESES ABOUT SOCIOPATHS: THAT THEY RESPOND ABNORMALLY TO STIMULI AND HAVE DIFFERENT RESTING EEG READINGS THAN NORMALS; AND THAT THEIR NERVOUS SYSTEMS MAY BE HYPEREXCITABLE OR 'IMMATURE.' THE USE OF COMPUTER METHODS APPLIED TO EEG UNDER STIMULUS CONDITIONS MERITS CONTINUED STUDY. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)