Citation

Schug RA, Yang Y, Raine A, Han C, Liu J, Li L. Psychiatry Res. 2011; 194(1): 85-94.

Affiliation

Department of Criminal Justice, California State University, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.12.017

PMID

21824754

PMCID

PMC3185161

Abstract

Empirical evidence continues to suggest a biologically distinct violent subtype of schizophrenia. The present study examined whether murderers with schizophrenia would demonstrate resting EEG deficits distinguishing them from both non-violent schizophrenia patients and murderers without schizophrenia. Resting EEG data were collected from five diagnostic groups (normal controls, non-murderers with schizophrenia, murderers with schizophrenia, murderers without schizophrenia, and murderers with psychiatric conditions other than schizophrenia) at a brain hospital in Nanjing, China. Murderers with schizophrenia were characterized by increased left-hemispheric fast-wave EEG activity relative to non-violent schizophrenia patients, while non-violent schizophrenia patients instead demonstrated increased diffuse slow-wave activity compared to all other groups. Results are discussed within the framework of a proposed left-hemispheric over-processing hypothesis specific to violent individuals with schizophrenia, involving left hemispheric hyperarousal deficits, which may lead to a homicidally violent schizophrenia outcome.

Language: en