Brain changes in offending paedophiles

25th Oct 2016

New research reveals that certain alterations in the brain structure may be present in paedophiles, with differences between hands-on offending paedophiles and those who have not sexually offended. 

The study involved conducting imagining tests on the brains of paedophiles with and without a history of hand-on sexual offences against children, compared with healthy non-offending controls. Activation patterns in certain brain regions distinguished between offending and non-offending paedophiles. This suggests that non-offending paedophiles might display a compensatory mechanism in the brain that provides greater self control.

The researchers findings of differences in the neuroimaging profile during the assessment of the imaging task underlines the importance to distinguish between paedophilic hands-on offenders and those who have not sexually offended against children in terms of separate clinical entities. 

These findings are important to develop and evaluate effective abuse-prevention interventions. However, further research is also wanting to be done on improving the understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying deviant sexual preferences. 

To read the full article, please visit Wiley website