In this episode, Dr. Cummings and I discuss psychopathy: the fearless, empathyless people, who see others as objects, and have the inability to attach within relationships. Dr. Michael Cummings recently contributed to a book called “Violence in Psychiatry,” detailing the biological aspects of psychopathy, edited by Stephen Stahl. Dr. Cummings works at Patton State Hospital, one of the biggest forensic hospitals in the world. He is the Yoda of the psychiatric world, with many other psychiatrists bringing him their most complex and difficult cases.
In this episode we cover:
History of psychopathyInfluence of early life traumasProsocial careers of psychopathsThe emotion psychopaths fail to seeBiological components in psychopathyBDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor)Prefrontal area (parent of the brain that warns us “that is not a good idea”)AmygdalaWhy psychopathy has not been bred out of existenceAdvice when you are in a relationship with a psychopathWhat drugs make someone look psychopathicEffect of alcohol andmethamphetamines on the brainInfluence of cocaine on the brainWhy more men are violent psychopathsAnd treatment of this group of people (clozapine’s influence on glutamate)The Story of Phineas GageWe also wrestle with how to increase the percentage of psychopaths that end up helping society vs percentage that become criminals.
Warburton, K and Stahl S (Editors). Violence in Psychiatry. The Neurobiology of Psychopathy. Cambridge University Press 2016), pp. 200-05
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