Abstract
Behavioural, structural, and functional neuroimaging differences exist between individuals with antisocial personality disorder with (ASPD + P) or without psychopathy (ASPD-P). However, the aetiological mechanisms underpinning such differences remain unclear, hindering treatment development. Intranasal oxytocin (OT) has shown modulatory effects on social brain function in healthy and antisocial populations. We investigated the effects of OT on resting-state brain function in individuals with violent offending histories with ASPD+/-P using arterial spin labelling to measure regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design was employed with males with ASPD (ASPD + P: N = 17, ASPD-P: N = 14) and healthy male non-offenders (N = 22). Both ASPD subtypes exhibited reduced rCBF in frontotemporal regions compared to non-offenders. Individuals with ASPD + P showed significantly greater rCBF increases in posterior default mode network regions compared to individuals with ASPD-P. OT administration selectively decreased rCBF in the left basal ganglia of the ASPD-P group, an effect not observed in ASPD + P or non-offender groups. These findings highlight functional brain differences between individuals with ASPD + P and ASPD-P at rest and demonstrate oxytocin’s differential impact on resting-state measures. Further understanding of the origins of these neurobiological differences could inform targeted therapeutic strategies for individuals with ASPD with and without psychopathy.
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Data availability
The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
Thank you to Dr Eleanor Hind for supporting with data collection. Thank you to the probation officers, especially David Bryan, for facilitating offender recruitment.
Funding
Funding for the research study was provided by Wellcome Clinical Research Training Fellowship grant for JT (grant no. 200099/S/15/S). Additional funding and financial support of the research team (JG, DMa, DMu, NG, NB) was provided by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) grant to YP (grant no. ES/K009400/1). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the Wellcome Trust, ESRC, NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
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Julia Griem: Conception, data acquisition, data analysis, data interpretation, manuscript drafting, manuscript revision, final approval of the version to be published; Daniel Martins: Data analysis, data interpretation, manuscript revision, final approval of the version to be published; John Tully: Conception, design, data acquisition, manuscript revision, final approval of the version to be published; Declan Murphy: Conception, design, manuscript revision, final approval of the version to be published; Yannis Paloyelis: Conception, design, data interpretation, manuscript revision, final approval of the version to be published; Nigel Blackwood: Conception, design, data interpretation, manuscript revision, final approval of the version to be published.
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Griem, J., Martins, D., Tully, J. et al. Resting-state brain function and its modulation by intranasal oxytocin in antisocial personality disorder with and without psychopathy. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-36661-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-36661-5
