Etiology of pedophilia from a neurodevelopmental perspective: markers and brain alterations

Abstract

Development: Distinct signs have been associated with a wide range of neurodevelopmental disorders and warning signs of neural developmental problems have also been observed in pedophiles. Continuing this line of research, several neuroimaging studies have found neural alterations in this disorder.

Conclusions: Pedophilia has been related to distinct indicators of neurodevelopmental alterations such as low intelligence quotient, left-handedness and smaller stature, among others. In addition, pedophiles show several neural alterations and a predominantly subcortical pattern of cerebral activation to sexual stimuli. The results of these studies suggest that the origin of pedophilia may partly lie in brain alterations due to problems during neural development, although these alterations do not absolve these persons of responsibility for their actions.