Psychopathic Prefrontal Lobe Functioning & Omega-3 Fatty Acid Potential

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Recommended: Biological theories to criminal behavior

Physiological Deficits
There is no one causal factor, or single identifying marker that determines violent behavior in individuals. While studies show characteristics associated with violent offenders, no single variable predetermines such offenses. It is instead a number of factors that come in to play, that have shown an association to such reactive aggressive behavior. Factors such as environmental demographic (Hughs, 2008) (Barnes, 2012), biological and genetic predispositions to mental illness (Miller & Barnes, 2013), prenatal brain development (Michalska & Kinzler, 2011), abuse, psychological factors, and many other variables that somehow coincide to create a recipe for such violent actions. Strides to determine these factors, and what sets the stage for such pathology is as important as it is controversial. The closer we get to arrive at possible causal factors, the closer we are to preventing such acts from happening, and providing help and better treatments for those with such disorders early on.
Evidence from prior studies of this issue suggest that dietary supplements of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, have the potential to reduce violent tendencies with individuals with psychopathic disorder (Gesch, Hammond, Hampson, & Eves, 2002) (McNamara & Carlson, 2006). Additional studies show strong correlations between individuals with antisocial, psychopathic disorder and deficits in functioning of the prefrontal cortex, and reductions in grey matter (Oberstar, Anderson, & Jensen, 2005) (Gregory, 2012)(Raine, 2013). Although associations have been found between fatty acid deficiencies and psychopathic disorder in violent offenders, as well as prefrontal cortex deficits in functioning, there has been little study of dietary ...

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...cts and Intergenerational Contact with the Criminal Justice System. Sage Journals, 671-689.
Oberstar, J., Anderson, E., & Jensen, J. (2005). Cognitive and Moral Development, Brain Development, and Mental Illness: Important Considerations for the Juvenile Justice System. Wm. Mitchell L. Rev., 32, 1051-1061.
Raine, A. (2013, April 26). Neurocriminology: Inside the Criminal Mind (Image). The Wall Street Journal. The Wall Street Journal.
Sherman, L., Gottfredson, D., MacKenzie, D., Eck, J., Reuter, P., & Bushway, S. (1998). Preventing Crime: What Works, What Doesn't, What's Promising in Brief, Report to the United States Congress. National Institute of Justice.
U.S. Department of Justice. (2012). Correctional Populations in the United States, 2011. Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Wortley. (1996). Guilt, Shame and Situational Crime Prevention. Griffith University, 115-132.

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