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Limitations Using Neuroimaging to Reconstruct Mental State After a Crime

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 October 2021

Michael J. Vitacco ,
Alynda M. Randolph ,
Rebecca J. Nelson Aguiar  and
Megan L. Porter Staats
Michael J. Vitacco*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
Alynda M. Randolph
Affiliation:
Forensic Outpatient Program, JBS Mental Health Authority, Birmingham, AL, USA
Rebecca J. Nelson Aguiar
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
Megan L. Porter Staats
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Neuroimaging offers great potential to clinicians and researchers for a host of mental and physical conditions. The use of imaging has been trumpeted for forensic psychiatric and psychological evaluations to allow greater insight into the relationship between the brain and behavior. The results of imaging certainly can be used to inform clinical diagnoses; however, there continue to be limitations in using neuroimaging for insanity cases due to limited scientific backing for how neuroimaging can inform retrospective evaluations of mental state. In making this case, this paper reviews the history of the insanity defense and explains how the use of neuroimaging is not an effective way of improving the reliability of insanity defense evaluations.

Keywords

neuroimagingforensic psychiatric and psychological evaluationsbrain and behaviorclinical diagnosesinsanity defense
Type
Articles
Information
Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics , Volume 30 , Issue 4 , October 2021 , pp. 694 - 701
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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References

Notes

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