Cortical thinning in specific frontal and insular regions linked to psychopathic traits in men
Mar 9th 2026
A new study published in Aggression and Violent Behavior reports that higher psychopathic traits in men are associated with reduced thickness in specific frontal and insular cortical areas, a pattern present in both intimate partner violence perpetrators and nonviolent controls and framed as a potential biological signature pending further research.
- A systematic review and MRI study found higher psychopathy scores correlate with reduced cortical thickness in the left orbitofrontal cortex, left insula, bilateral superior frontal gyrus, right anterior cingulate, and right dorsomedial prefrontal cortex.
- The research combined a review of 29 prior studies with an empirical sample of 125 adult Spanish men, including 67 intimate partner violence perpetrators and 58 nonviolent community controls.
- Psychopathic traits were measured with the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised using interviews and file reviews, and brains were measured with high-resolution 3D MRI.
- The association between psychopathy and reduced cortical thickness was the same in IPV perpetrators and community controls, suggesting the pattern is linked to traits rather than criminal history.
- Interpersonal and affective traits (Factor 1) showed the most consistent links to reductions in frontal regions such as the orbitofrontal cortex.
- The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot prove these brain differences cause psychopathic behavior, and the sample is limited to adult Spanish men without severe mental disorders.
- Authors caution the findings point to a distributed fronto-temporo-parietal network rather than a single brain spot, and they call for larger, more diverse longitudinal studies.