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An EEG Study of Delinquent Adolescents With Reference to Recidivism and Murder
Author(s) -
Kido Matazo
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
psychiatry and clinical neurosciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.609
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1440-1819
pISSN - 1323-1316
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1819.1973.tb00085.x
Subject(s) - recidivism , juvenile , juvenile delinquency , psychology , homicide , injury prevention , poison control , electroencephalography , incidence (geometry) , suicide prevention , audiology , demography , psychiatry , medicine , medical emergency , biology , genetics , physics , sociology , optics
Summary This study was a further attempt to investigate the roles of various electroencephalographic patterns in the etiology of delinquent behaviors. Particular attention was paid to the incidence of these EEG patterns among nonepileptic juvenile recidivists and juvenile murderers. The most remarkable findings were that pentamethyl‐enetetrazol low threshold (seizure discharge activated by less than 250mg in a total dose and by less than 4.0mg/kg body weight) was found in nearly 1/3 of subjects, aged 18 or 19, and detained four times or more at the Yokohama Juvenile Classification Home and in nearly half of juvenile murderers in the same institution. These findings suggest that recidivism or homicide may frequently be related to an organic or functional change in the diencephalon. No relationship could be established between the 14 and 6/sec positive spike pattern and juvenile recidivism. The incidences of this pattern, anterior θ wave burst, and posterior slow waves were prominently decreased among subjects aged 18 to 19. These findings probably reflect continuing maturation within the second decade of life. On the other hand, the fact that all the five cases of Groups 4 and 5 who had these slow‐wave patterns showed also the low pentamethyl‐enetetrazol threshold was noteworthy, because they have committed homicides or were incorrigible.