New research suggests psychopaths and brain injury sufferers have similar characteristics

By Staff Writer

In an effort to find treatments for people who are diagnosed as psychopathic, researchers from the University of Haifa compared adults who suffer from brain injuries with those who have the mental disorder. According to the team, these two conditions have similar characteristics.

Psychopaths are often described as anti-social individuals who intentionally harm others. People with this personality disorder often demonstrate a lack of compassion and empathy. They also usually have a grasp of the mental capacity of others, and can use this to cause harm.

The study surveyed 17 people who were diagnosed as psychotic and who did not suffer from brain injury. They also studied 25 individuals who suffered from frontal lobe damage.

Participants were given a computerized test that examined cognitive ability to recognize feelings in others and empathy. It also measured the ability to understand another person's emotions. The results revealed that both groups responded similarly, when compared to control groups of individuals with no known mental illnesses or brain injuries.

The researchers concluded that these findings could aid in the treatment of individuals with both conditions.