Fundamentals of Mental Health

Fundamentals of Mental Health

Neuroimaging in sexual offenses and paraphilia: A call to harmonize current clinical and imaging assessments in sexual offenses and paraphilia

Document Type : Review Article

Authors
Naghmeh Mokhber 1
David Streiner 2
Sébastien Prat 3
Niloofar Nikjoo 4
Gary Chaimowitz 3
1 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
2 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. 2 Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
3 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
4 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
10.22038/jfmh.2021.18292
Abstract
Introduction: The advent of brain imaging studies has provided a chance to assess behavioral changes in patients with psychiatric disorders and compare the results with healthy individuals. These studies have clinical and research implications especially for forensic clinicians, and psychologists who not only diagnose psychiatric disorders but also need to determine the level of criminal responsibility and assess the level of risk that patients may pose for the safety of the public. However, few studies have reviewed the current literature systematically. The aim of this article is to summarize and categorize available studies.
Materials and Methods: We performed a comprehensive search to identify all available articles on neuroimaging findings of paraphilia.
Results: Sixty hundred and fifty five papers were reviewed for this study, out of which 56 articles were selected. Papers were classified according to sexual disorder types and were categorized into case reports and case series (n=25), and case-control studies (n=31). Important findings of the selected papers were summarized and areas of the brain involvement were highlighted.
Conclusion: Structural and functional neuroimaging may elucidate the neuroanatomical network of paraphilia. These findings have research and clinical implications in the field of forensic psychiatry.
Keywords
Masochism
Neuroimaging
Paraphilia
Pedophilia
Sadism
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Fundamentals of Mental Health
Volume 23, Issue 2
March and April 2021
Pages 75-90