Psychotic Domestic Murder: Neuropsychological Differences Between Homicidal and Nonhomicidal Schizophrenic Men

There is substantial evidence that individuals with schizophrenia are at increased risk for violent criminal behavior and
an even higher risk for committing murder, relative to the general population. Neuropsychological features of seven schizophrenic
men who murdered family members were compared to neuropsychological features of seven schizophrenic men with no history of
violence, criminal offenses or antisocial behavior. The two groups were matched for age, education, race, gender, handedness,
and diagnosis, and had similar psychotic symptom profiles and substance abuse histories. The schizophrenic murderers demonstrated
significantly worse neuropsychological impairment, involving executive dysfunction and memory dysfunction, relative to nonviolent
schizophrenic men. Implications include: (1) specific neuropsychological deficits may increase the likelihood of some schizophrenic
men to murder family members due to an impaired capacity to inhibit impulsive violent aggression; (2) neuropsychological status
of schizophrenic defendants who commit domestic homicide should be considered by the trier-of-fact when they are tried for
murder.