Raine et al

• What type of experiment was conducted in the study?

  Quasi-experiment with a matched pairs design
• What were the independent and dependent variables in the study?

  IV: NGRI or not; DV: Brain differences
• How many murderers participated in the experimental group?

  41
• What was the mean age of the murderers in the study?

  34.3 years
• What plea did all the murderers enter?

  Not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI)
• Where were the participants referred for examination?

  University of California
• Why were the murderers referred to the University of California?

  To obtain proof of diminished capacity
• What mental impairments did the murderers have?

  • Schizophrenia
  • History of head injury or organic brain damage
  • History of psychoactive drug abuse
  • Affective disorder
  • Epilepsy
  • History of hyperactivity and learning disability
  • Personality disorder
• How long were participants instructed to be medication free before brain scanning?

  Two weeks
• How was medication abstinence verified?

  Urine scan
• How was the control group formed?

  Matching each murderer with a normal individual
• What criteria were used for matching in the control group?

  Same sex and age
• What was the psychiatric history of the controls?

  No history of psychiatric illness
• How were the schizophrenic controls selected?

  From a mental hospital
• What sampling method was used to obtain the sample?

  Opportunity sampling
• Which type of scan was used to study the active brain?

  PET scan
• What was injected into all participants?

  Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)
• How does FDG work as a tracer?

  Taken up by active areas of the brain
• What task were all participants asked to perform?

  Continuous performance task (CPT)
• What was the purpose of the CPT?

  To activate the target areas of the brain
• When did participants start the CPT relative to the FDG injection?

  Thirty seconds before
• Why did participants start the CPT before the FDG injection?

  So the initial task novelty wouldn't be labelled
• How long after the FDG injection was the PET scan done?

  Thirty-two minutes
• How many horizontal slices of the brain were recorded?

  Ten
• What techniques were used to record the brain slices?

  Cortical peel and box techniques
• What did early theories suggest about criminals and non-criminals?

  A physical difference between criminals
• Who suggested that criminals had distinct physical features?

  Cesare Lombroso
• What did Lombroso suggest about criminals' physical features?

  Narrow sloping forehead and large ears
• How did brain scanning techniques change the way to research criminals?

  Opened a new way to research differences
• What could differences in specific brain areas in criminals predispose them to?

  Violent behaviour
• Who focused on individuals who had committed murder and pleaded NGRI?

  Adrian Raine, Monte Buchsbaum, Lori LaCasse
• What brain areas did Raine et al. hypothesize would have dysfunction in violent individuals?

  • Prefrontal cortex
  • Angular gyrus
  • Amygdala
  • Hippocampus
  • Thalamus
  • Corpus callosum
• Which brain areas did Raine et al. hypothesize would NOT have brain dysfunction in violent individuals?

  • Caudate
  • Putamen
  • Globus pallidus
  • Midbrain
  • Cerebellum
• What is the limbic system associated with?

  Emotion
• Which structures are included in the limbic system?

  Prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus
• What areas were found to have reduced activity in the brains of NGRI participants?

  Prefrontal cortex, left angular gyrus, corpus callosum
• In which hemisphere was reduced activity found in the amygdala, thalamus, and hippocampus?

  Left
• What area was found to have increased activity in the brains of NGRI participants?

  Cerebellum
• In which hemisphere was increased activity found in the amygdala, thalamus, and hippocampus?

  Right
• In which areas was no difference found between NGRI group and controls?

  Caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, midbrain