NEUROLOGIC ABNORMALITIES IN MURDERERS

Thirty-one individuals awaiting trial or sentencing for murder or unde rgoing an appeal process requested a neurologic examination through le gal counsel. We attempted in each instance to obtain EEG, MRI or CT, a nd neuropsychological testing. Neurologic examination revealed evidenc e of ''frontal'' dysfunction in 20 (64.5%). There were symptoms or som e other evidence of temporal lobe abnormality in nine (29%). We made a specific neurologic diagnosis in 20 individuals (64.5%), including bo rderline or full mental retardation (9) and cerebral palsy (2), among others. Neuropsychological testing revealed abnormalities in all subje cts tested. There were EEG abnormalities in eight of the 20 subjects t ested, consisting mainly of bilateral sharp waves with slowing. There were MRI or CT abnormalities in nine of the 19 subjects tested, consis ting primarily of atrophy and white matter changes. Psychiatric diagno ses included paranoid schizophrenia (8), dissociative disorder (4), an d depression (9). Virtually all subjects had paranoid ideas and misund erstood social situations. There was a documented history of profound, protracted physical abuse in 26 (83.8%) and of sexual abuse in 10 (32 .3%). It is likely that prolonged, severe physical abuse, paranoia, an d neurologic brain dysfunction interact to form the matrix of violent behavior.