FIU Finds Link Between Juvenile Delinquency, Brain Activity

MIAMI, FL — Florida International University researchers have found an apparent link between juvenile delinquency and brain activity.

"Lower levels of brain activity during childhood may lead to decreased self-control and, eventually, delinquent behavior in adolescence," according to a new study published by a team of researchers from FIU and the University of Michigan. (Sign up for our free Daily Newsletters and Breaking News Alerts for the Miami Patch.)

"Adolescents who exhibited less activity in the part of the brain responsible for decision-making and impulse control showed lower self-control, as rated by their parents, one year later" FIU officials said on Tuesday. Those same adolescents were more likely to engage in delinquent behavior five years later."

Researchers said that lower levels of brain activity can result from head injuries, exposure to abuse or neglect and genetics. The study did not examine the causes of low brain activity, but identified a link between brain activity and behavior later in life.

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“Criminologists have spent more than a quarter of a century investigating the causes of low self-control, with most of the attention being directed at social factors like parenting practices, peer groups and neighborhood environments,” explained criminal justice professor Ryan Meldrum, who co-authored the study with clinical psychology professor Elisa Trucco.

“Recently, however, there has been growing interest in identifying the neural underpinnings of low self-control. Our work identifies a key region of the brain that appears to play an important role in shaping an adolescent’s ability to engage in self-control," Meldrum added.

The study, which was published in the Journal of Criminal Justice, is one of the first in criminology to use neuroimaging technology that measures brain activity, according to FIU officials. Meldrum and Trucco used data from the Michigan Longitudinal Study, an ongoing multi-generational study of the causes of substance abuse and other forms of antisocial behavior.

“This study highlights the importance of forming a team of researchers from different disciplines to understand a common problem, such as delinquent behavior,” Trucco explained. “Understanding early differences in the brain and behavior that are linked to later delinquency can help clinicians develop more targeted prevention programs for youth.”

The study is a collaboration of FIU’s Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs, College of Arts, Sciences & Education, Center for Children and Families and the University of Michigan.

Image courtesy of Florida International University