Skip to main content
. 2017 Jan 16;14:201–215. doi: 10.1016/j.nicl.2017.01.014

Table 1.

Summary of sample characteristics and main findings for studies examining AB and white-matter tract abnormalities in adults measured by DTI.

Study N Type % ♀ Exclusion criteria or covariates Behavioral measures: dimensional or categorical analysis Method Key findings
Beyer et al., 2014 93 1 0 Exclusions: other psychiatric or neurologic disorder,
Covariates:
AB: Buss Perry Aggression (S) & Taylor Aggression Paradigm (O) ROI-A: (DT) Dimensional: no significant associations
Categorical: AB + vs. HC: no significant differences
Craig et al., 2009 18 1 & 4 0 Exclusions: other psychiatric or neurologic disorder, psychotropic medication
Covariates: IQ & age-matched HC
AB: male offenders from specialist forensic inpatient units
Psychopathic traits: PCL-R (I)
ROI-M (DT) Categorical: AB + P + vs. HC: ↓ FA right UF. No significant differences in left UF, ILF, or IFOF. AB + P + vs. SA +: ↓ FA bilateral UF
Hoppenbrouwers et al., 2013 22 1 & 4 0 Exclusions: other psychiatric or substance use disorders, head trauma, seizures Covariates: age-matched male HC AB: male offenders convicted for assault, homicide, human trafficking, & kidnap
Psychopathic traits: PCL-R (I)
Whole-brain (TBSS) Dimensional: interpersonal-affective: ↓ FA left UF, IFOF, & ATR; Lifestyle-antisocial: ↓ FA right ATR, UF, & IFOF
Categorical: AB + P + vs. HC: ↓ FA bilateral UF, IFOF, ATR, anterior CG
Karlsgodt et al., 2015 45 1 46 Exclusions: Axis I disorder
Covariates: age & gender
AB: Buss Perry Aggression (S) Whole-brain (TBSS) Dimensional: aggressive acts: ↓ FA right SLF; ↑ RD right SLF
Lindner et al., 2016 67 1 & 3 100 Exclusions: bipolar disorder, psychosis, neurologic disorder
Covariates: Axis I disorders, physical & sexual abuse
AB: SCID-I Whole-brain (TBSS) Categorical: AB + vs. HC: ↓ AD bilateral corpus callosum, CG, Fmin, and IFOF, and left CR (controlling for depression, anxiety, substance dependence and experience of abuse) AB + vs. clinical comparison: ↓ FA bilateral corpus callosum, forceps minor
Motzkin et al., 2011 27 4 0 Exclusions: age > 45, IQ < 70, history of psychosis & psychotropic medication Covariates: AB: Adult male inmates at a medium-security correctional facility
Psychopathic traits: PCL-R (I)
ROI-A (VBA & DT) Categorical: AB + P + vs. AB + P −: ↓ FA right UF (relative to overall reduction in whole brain FA). No significant differences in SLF, ILF, IFOF
Sethi et al., 2015 26 3 0 Exclusions: other psychiatric or substance use disorders, head trauma, reading age < 10
Covariates: alcohol & cocaine dependency
AB: Offenders incarcerated for violent crime
Psychopathic traits: PCL-R (I)
ROI-M (DT) Dimensional: interpersonal-affective: ↓ FA left & right dorsal CG
Categorical: AB + P + vs. HC: ↓ FA left dorsal CG
Sobhani et al., 2015 24 1 & 2 0 Exclusions: other psychiatric or neurologic disorder
Covariates: IQ, age
Psychopathic traits: Concurrent (age 24): Psychopathic Personality Index (PPI). Prior (age 14–15): CPS, APSD, PCL:YV to form composite score ROI-M (DT) Dimensional: current PPI score psychopathy scores and prior psychopathy composite score: ↓ FA right UF
Sundram et al., 2012 30 1 & 4 0 Exclusions: other psychiatric, neurologic or substance use disorder
Covariates: age & IQ-matched HC
AB: ICD-10 ASPD diagnosis (I)
Psychopathic traits: PCL-R (I & case notes)
Whole-brain (VBA) Dimensional: Total PCL-R & Lifestyle-Antisocial factor: ↓ FA in frontal lobe. Lifestyle-Antisocial factor: ↑ MD in frontal lobe.
Categorical: AB + P + vs. HC: ↓ FA bilateral CC, IC, IFOF, right ACR, right UF, left ILF, & left PTR. ↑ MD right IFOF, UF, CC, & ACR
Wolf et al., 2015 147 1 & 4 0 Exclusions: IQ < 70; psychotropic medication; psychiatric disorder; head trauma
Covariates: age, race, substance use disorder
AB: Adult male inmates at a medium-security correctional facility
Psychopathic traits: PCL-R (I)
ROI-A (TBSS) Dimensional: total psychopathy scores: ↓ FA right UF (no association with left UF & unrelated to comparison tracts, CG, IC, TR, & CC & whole-brain FA). Interpersonal-affective factor: ↓ FA right UF (controlling for Factor 2). Interpersonal Facet: ↓ FA right UF

Note that we report findings from the most stringent analyses carried out by included studies, including models controlling for multiple comparisons or overlap of outcome variables.

Type of sample: 1 = community; 2 = high-risk; 3 = clinic; 4 = forensic.

DTI acronyms: ACR = anterior corona radiata; AD = axial diffusivity; ATR = anterior thalamic radiation; CC = corpus callosum; CG = cingulum/cingulate gyrus; CT = corticospinal tract; Fmaj = forceps major; Fmin = forceps minor; FA = fractional anisotropy; IC = internal capsule; IFOF = inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus; ILF = inferior longitudinal fasciculus; PTR = posterior thalamic radiation; RD = radial diffusivity; SCR = superior corona radiata; SLF = superior longitudinal fasciculus; UF = uncinate fasciculus;

DTI acronyms: ACR = anterior corona radiata; AD = axial diffusivity; ATR = anterior thalamic radiation; CC = corpus callosum; CG = cingulum/cingulate gyrus; CT = corticospinal tract; Fmaj = forceps major; Fmin = forceps minor; FA = fractional anisotropy; IC = internal capsule; IFOF = inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus; ILF = inferior longitudinal fasciculus; PTR = posterior thalamic radiation; RD = radial diffusivity; SCR = superior corona radiata; SLF = superior longitudinal fasciculus; UF = uncinate fasciculus.

Behavior acronyms: AB = antisocial behavior; CU = callous-unemotional; P = psychopathy; S = self-reported; P = parent-reported; I = structured interview; O = observed.

Behavior acronyms: AB = antisocial behavior; CU = callous-unemotional; P = psychopathy; S = self-reported; P = parent-reported; I = structured interview; O = observed.

Behavior groupings: AB + P + = high on AB and psychopathy; AB + P − = high on AB and low on psychopathy; AB + CU + = high on AB and callous-unemotional traits; HC = healthy controls.

DTI method acronyms: DT = deterministic tractography; ROI-A = region of interest automatic generation; ROI-M = region of interest, manually drawn; TBSS = tract-based spatial statistics; VBA = voxel based analyses.