Sex Moderates Reward- and Loss-Related Neural Correlates of Triarchic-Model Traits and Antisocial Behavior

Abstract

Abnormalities in responses to reward and loss are implicated in the etiology of antisocial behavior and psychopathic traits. While there is evidence for sex differences in neural response to reward and loss, it remains unclear how sex differences may moderate links between these neural responses and the phenotypic expression of antisocial behavior and psychopathic traits. This study examined sex differences in associations of neural response to reward and loss with antisocial personality symptoms and psychopathic traits. Functional neuroimaging data were collected during a monetary incentive delay task from 158 participants. Among males, during loss anticipation, activation in the left nucleus accumbens was negatively associated with antisocial behavior. Among females, during loss feedback, activation in the left nucleus accumbens and left amygdala was negatively associated with antisocial behavior. These results suggest that phenotypic sex differences in psychopathic traits and antisocial behavior may in part be attributable to different etiological pathways.

Figure 1.

Scatterplots of significant bivariate associations between BOLD response during the MID task and psychopathic traits or ASPD symptoms. Associations in the Anticipation: Loss vs. Neutral contrast between a) BOLD activation in the right anterior insula and NEO-Boldness. b) Bilateral anterior insula activation during the Anticipation: Loss contrast. Association between c) BOLD activation in the right amygdala during the Feedback: No Loss vs. Loss condition and the NEO-Meanness scale and d) corresponding right amygdala activation during the Feedback: No Loss vs. Loss condition. Association between e) BOLD activation in the left orbital frontal cortex during the Feedback: Reward vs. No Reward contrast and NEO-Meanness and f) corresponding left orbital frontal cortex activation during the Feedback: Reward vs. no Reward contrast. * p < .05.

Figure 2.

Scatterplots of significant sex by ASPD or sex by trait interactions. a) Sex by ASPD effect associated with left nucleus accumbens BOLD activation during the loss anticipation contrast; b) sex by Boldness associated with left nucleus accumbens BOLD activation during the loss anticipation contrast; c) sex by ASPD effect associated with left nucleus accumbens BOLD activation during the loss receipt contrast; d) sex by ASPD symptoms effect associated with left amygdala BOLD activation during the loss receipt contrast. * p < .05. Male triangles and lines denoted in red, female dots and lines denoted in blue.