Behavioral inhibition deficits in juvenile psychopaths

Although many studies have shown that delinquents are impaired on certain e xecutive function tasks related to frontal lobe functioning, whether psycho paths present with such impairments is still controversial. Lapierre et al. [1995, Neuropsychologia 33:139-151] have investigated a more specific hypo thesis of orbitofrontal deficits in psychopaths and found that psychopathic criminals are impaired on tasks involving behavioral inhibition and olfact ory discrimination, The present study sought to replicate these results wit h juvenile psychopaths 14 to 18 years of age. As expected, psychopaths were found to be significantly impaired on behavioral inhibition tasks. However , psychopathic and nonpsychopathic inmates performed similarly on measures related to the dorsolateral area of the frontal lobe, Also, no significant intergroup difference was noted on the olfactory discrimination task. Altho ugh an orbitofrontal deficit in psychopathy remains possible, it is suggest ed to explain results through a functional inhibition deficit that is not s pecifically related to orbitofrontal processing. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.