NEUROPSYCHIATRIC UPDATE OF THE CRIME PROFILE AND SIGNATURE IN SINGLE OR SERIAL HOMICIDES - RULE OUT LIMBIC PSYCHOTIC TRIGGER REACTION

A neuropsychiatric and -psychological update of the crime ''profile'' and ''signature'' is a necessary addition to the traditional sociopsyc hological model likely to miss limbic system dysfunctioning. Thus, occ urrence of a brief (c. 20 minutes) limbic seizure has been proposed ba sed on behaviors of 12 white male homicidal loners, who showed a dozen symptoms and signs: Limbic Psychotic Trigger Reaction. Readily overlo oked can be (a) a transient psychosis (hallucinations and/or delusions ), (b) autonomic hyperactivation (e.g., loss of bladder control, nause a, ejaculation), (c) motiveless, out-of-character, unplanned, and well -remembered homicidal acts, (d) committed with a flat affect (not emot ionally or impulsively provoked), (e) typically involving a stranger w ho happened to provide an objectively harmless and only subjectively i mportant stimulus. (f) Such an individualized stimulus triggered the m emory revival of mild to moderate but repeatedly experienced hurts. Su ch a specific sequence of events implicates the specific mechanism of limbic seizure, ''kindling,'' which does not necessarily involve motor convulsions. Repetition of such limbic episodes with ''criminal acts' ' is conceivable under specific circumstances including cases in which the triggering stimulus is associated with pleasurable delusions (e.g ., of grandiose power or wealth) or constitutes a specific aspect of a basic drive motive. For example, eating or sexual activities might be planned but degenerate into a limbic episode with a specific core sym ptomatology.