Quantitative EEG Findings Among Men Convicted of Murder

Abstract

Quantitative EEG data were collected from 20 men convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Measures of coherence, phase, amplitude asymmetry, and relative power from 19 scalp electrode sites during an eyes closed, resting condition were compared to a normative database. Measures significantly different from normal were tallied to determine electrode site locations with greatest concentrations of abnormalities. There were more right than left hemisphere abnormalities of coherence, phase, and amplitude asymmetry, and more anterior than posterior abnormalities of phase, amplitude asymmetry, and relative power. Bilateral frontal, right temporal, and parietal sites had the greatest concentrations of multiple abnormalities. Increased coherence and longer neural conduction times characterized the majority of coherence and phase abnormalities. The concentrations of frontal and right hemisphere abnormalities are discussed as relating to impairment, in executive functions, modulation of affect, and perception of affect in others. Such impairments perhaps in conjunction with adverse environmental events, are suggested as placing one at risk for violent behaviors. Relevance of these findings for future research, forensic neuropsychological assessments, and neurofeedback treatment is mentioned.