Neuroscientist discovers he's a psychopath after research

[Hum]

A well-respected neuroscientist whose research into the biological underpinnings of psychopaths fatefully revealed -- of all things ? that he is one.

Neuroscientist James Fallon recounts in his new book, ?The Psychopath Inside,? the story of how the University of California, Irvine researcher and faculty member came to the startling conclusion in 2005 while reviewing PET scans of murderers, schizophrenics, depressives, along with other, normal brains.

Specifically, Fallon was looking at the scans to learn about the functionality of areas of the brain linked to empathy, morality and self-control. In psychopaths, he believed these areas exhibited little activity.

?Out of serendipity, I was also doing a study on Alzheimer?s and as part of that, had brain scans from me and everyone in my family right on my desk,? Fallon told Smithsonian Magazine. ?I got to the bottom of the stack, and saw this scan that was obviously pathological.?

The scan, it turns out, was of his own brain.

Fallon double-checked his laboratory?s PET machine, but was unable to find any malfunctions.

?I?ve never killed anybody, or raped anyone,? Fallon, who earned a doctorate from the University of Illinois in 1975, told the magazine. ?So the first thing I thought was that maybe my hypothesis was wrong, and that these brain areas are not reflective of psychopathy or murderous behavior.?

But then the pieces slowly began falling into place.

Fallon ? a married father ? is reportedly related to seven alleged murderers, including Lizzie Borden,  :huh:  tried and acquitted of killing her father and stepmother in Massachusetts in 1892.

more

[Growled Member]

He may have the potential of being a psychopath because of his family, but clearly he is not one because on some level he choose not to be. Any of us probably could be given the right circumstances.

[thomastmc]

He may have the potential of being a psychopath because of his family, but clearly he is not one because on some level he choose not to be. Any of us probably could be given the right circumstances.

It wasn't a choice on his part, as he explains. It's because of his family and his childhood experience that he didn't become an active psychopath.

 

If anyone ever doubted the role early childhood development has in determining who you become as a person, this would be extremely difficult to explain away.

[FiB3R]

Probably should have kept that to yourself, mate. People may not react so well to the news that there is a confirmed psycho in their midsts.

[Hum]

No one's brain makes them 'psycho'.

 

And Lizzie Borden was not the murderess.

[Growled Member]

No one's brain makes them 'psycho'.

 

Since many people seem to lack one these days. ;)

[neo1911]

Too bad Dexter is over now.