Neuromorality

File:Density of moral neuroscience studies fnint-07-00065-g001.jpg

The main brain regions that are involved in the regulation of moral cognition and behavior are those of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, and amygdala. Less pronounced areas that are involved in moral regulation include the anterior cingulate gyrus,{{Cite journal |last1=Takahashi |first1=Hidehiko |last2=Kato |first2=Motoichiro |last3=Matsuura |first3=Masato |last4=Mobbs |first4=Dean |last5=Suhara |first5=Tetsuya |last6=Okubo |first6=Yoshiro |date=2009-02-13 |title=When your gain is my pain and your pain is my gain: neural correlates of envy and schadenfreude |journal=Science |volume=323 |issue=5916 |pages=937–939 |doi=10.1126/science.1165604 |pmid=19213918 |bibcode=2009Sci...323..937T|s2cid=26678804 }} posterior cingulate gyrus,{{Cite journal |last1=Robertson |first1=Diana |last2=Snarey |first2=John |last3=Ousley |first3=Opal |last4=Harenski |first4=Keith |last5=DuBois Bowman |first5=F. |authorlink5=F. DuBois Bowman |last6=Gilkey |first6=Rick |last7=Kilts |first7=Clinton |date=2007-03-02 |title=The neural processing of moral sensitivity to issues of justice and care |journal=Neuropsychologia |volume=45 |issue=4 |pages=755–766 |doi=10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2006.08.014 |pmid=17174987|s2cid=17055624 |url=https://repository.upenn.edu/neuroethics_pubs/44 |type=Submitted manuscript }} anterior insula,{{Cite journal |last1=Hsu |first1=Ming |last2=Anen |first2=Cédric |last3=Quartz |first3=Steven R. |date=2008-05-23 |title=The right and the good: distributive justice and neural encoding of equity and efficiency |journal=Science |volume=320 |issue=5879 |pages=1092–1095 |doi=10.1126/science.1153651 |pmid=18467558 |bibcode=2008Sci...320.1092H|s2cid=7307967 |url=https://authors.library.caltech.edu/51629/7/Hsu.SOM.revision.1.pdf }} and the mesolimbic reward pathway.{{Cite journal |last1=Schaefer |first1=Alexandre |last2=Collette |first2=Fabienne |last3=Philippot |first3=Pierre |last4=van der Linden |first4=Martial |last5=Laureys |first5=Steven |last6=Delfiore |first6=Guy |last7=Degueldre |first7=Christian |last8=Maquet |first8=Pierre |last9=Luxen |first9=Andre |date=2003-04-01 |title=Neural correlates of "hot" and "cold" emotional processing: a multilevel approach to the functional anatomy of emotion |journal=NeuroImage |volume=18 |issue=4 |pages=938–949 |pmid=12725769|doi=10.1016/S1053-8119(03)00009-0 |s2cid=6662543 }}

To analyze the neuromoral circuit scientists perform experimental paradigms utilizing fMRI and tasks that assess moral reasoning and judgment. One method includes the administration of moral dilemmas to subjects, in the form of anecdotes, while their brain activity is measured by fMRI. Another approach includes the presentation of emotionally charged moral or immoral scenes and images to subjects while their brain activity is measured by fMRI. Moreover, measuring neuronal assembly activity during personal and impersonal moral dilemmas has also been a method of investigating morality at the brain level. Finally, the pathological approach investigates tissue abnormalities in the neuromoral network and links them to potential cognitive and behavioral deficits.

Normal functioning of the neuromoral network involves specific patterns of activity when performing moral tasks. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex is the hub of the neuromoral circuit allowing for the processing of morally charged stimuli and the subsequent generation of states such as empathy, charitableness, fairness, and guilt.{{Cite journal |last1=Moll |first1=Jorge |last2=de Oliveira-Souza |first2=Ricardo |date=2007-08-01 |title=Moral judgments, emotions and the utilitarian brain |journal=Trends in Cognitive Sciences |volume=11 |issue=8 |pages=319–321 |doi=10.1016/j.tics.2007.06.001 |pmid=17602852|s2cid=6680876 }}{{Cite journal |last1=Harenski |first1=Carla L. |last2=Hamann |first2=Stephan |date=2006-03-01 |title=Neural correlates of regulating negative emotions related to moral violations |journal=NeuroImage |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=313–324 |doi=10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.09.034 |pmid=16249098|s2cid=44536441 }}{{Cite journal |last1=Decety |first1=Jean |last2=Jackson |first2=Philip L. |date=2004-06-01 |title=The functional architecture of human empathy |journal=Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience Reviews |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=71–100 |doi=10.1177/1534582304267187 |pmid=15537986}} The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex allows for the integration of those states, subsequent moral reasoning, and generation of the ability to override emotional states relating to morality. The orbitofrontal cortex allows for the processing of moral or immoral behaviors performed by others allowing for mapping and imitation of the observed behaviors.{{Cite journal |last1=Shamay-Tsoory |first1=Simone G. |last2=Aharon-Peretz |first2=Judith |last3=Perry |first3=Daniella |date=2009-03-01 |title=Two systems for empathy: a double dissociation between emotional and cognitive empathy in inferior frontal gyrus versus ventromedial prefrontal lesions |journal=Brain |volume=132 |issue=Pt 3 |pages=617–627 |doi=10.1093/brain/awn279 |pmid=18971202|doi-access=free }}{{Cite journal |last1=Iacoboni |first1=Marco |last2=Mazziotta |first2=John C. |date=2007-09-01 |title=Mirror neuron system: basic findings and clinical applications |journal=Annals of Neurology |volume=62 |issue=3 |pages=213–218 |doi=10.1002/ana.21198 |pmid=17721988|s2cid=3225339 |doi-access=free }}{{Cite journal |last1=Fabbri-Destro |first1=Maddalena |last2=Rizzolatti |first2=Giacomo |date=2008-06-01 |title=Mirror neurons and mirror systems in monkeys and humans |journal=Physiology |volume=23 |issue=3 |pages=171–179 |doi=10.1152/physiol.00004.2008 |pmid=18556470}} The amygdala allows for sensory recognition of non-integrated emotional stimuli that are channeled to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex for moral indexing and processing. The mesolimbic reward pathway has been implicated with the generation of pleasurable feelings when a non-moral act is performed towards a hostile entity, a phenomenon called Schadenfreude. The cingulate cortex allows for conflict regulation when performing an immoral action and the feeling of envy when self identified entities are overcome by non identified ones.

Psychopathy is a brain disorder remarked by lack of moral emotions, empathy, remorse and guilt. People with psychopathy appear to have defects in moral judgement, but not in moral reasoning.{{Cite book |title=The psychopath : emotion and the brain |last1=Karina |first1=Blair |last2=Robert |first2=Mitchell, Derek |date=2010-01-01 |publisher=Blackwell Publ |isbn=9780631233350 |oclc=838089275}}{{Cite journal |last=Kiehl |first=Kent A.|authorlink=Kent Kiehl|date=2006-06-15 |title=A cognitive neuroscience perspective on psychopathy: evidence for paralimbic system dysfunction |journal=Psychiatry Research |volume=142 |issue=2–3 |pages=107–128 |doi=10.1016/j.psychres.2005.09.013 |pmc=2765815 |pmid=16712954}} Neuroimaging of the psychopathic brain has revealed hypoperfusion and hypometabolism in areas of the frontal cortex.{{Cite journal |last1=Raine |first1=A. |last2=Buchsbaum |first2=M. |last3=LaCasse |first3=L. |date=1997-09-15 |title=Brain abnormalities in murderers indicated by positron emission tomography |journal=Biological Psychiatry |volume=42 |issue=6 |pages=495–508 |doi=10.1016/S0006-3223(96)00362-9 |pmid=9285085|s2cid=16600976 }}{{Cite journal |last1=Critchley |first1=H. D. |last2=Simmons |first2=A. |last3=Daly |first3=E. M. |last4=Russell |first4=A. |last5=van Amelsvoort |first5=T. |last6=Robertson |first6=D. M. |last7=Glover |first7=A. |last8=Murphy |first8=D. G. |date=2000-05-15 |title=Prefrontal and medial temporal correlates of repetitive violence to self and others |journal=Biological Psychiatry |volume=47 |issue=10 |pages=928–934 |pmid=10807966|doi=10.1016/S0006-3223(00)00231-6 |s2cid=515050 }}{{Cite journal |last1=Soderstrom |first1=Henrik |last2=Hultin |first2=Leif |last3=Tullberg |first3=Mats |last4=Wikkelso |first4=Carsten |last5=Ekholm |first5=Sven |last6=Forsman |first6=Anders |date=2002-06-15 |title=Reduced frontotemporal perfusion in psychopathic personality |journal=Psychiatry Research |volume=114 |issue=2 |pages=81–94 |pmid=12036508|doi=10.1016/S0925-4927(02)00006-9 |s2cid=1821246 }}{{Cite journal |last1=de Oliveira-Souza |first1=Ricardo |last2=Hare |first2=Robert D. |last3=Bramati |first3=Ivanei E. |last4=Garrido |first4=Griselda J. |last5=Ignácio |first5=Fátima Azevedo |last6=Tovar-Moll |first6=Fernanda |last7=Moll |first7=Jorge |date=2008-04-01 |title=Psychopathy as a disorder of the moral brain: Fronto-temporo-limbic grey matter reductions demonstrated by voxel-based morphometry |journal=NeuroImage |language=en |volume=40 |issue=3 |pages=1202–1213 |doi=10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.12.054 |pmid=18289882 |s2cid=12338446 }} The areas of the medial prefrontal cortex and the orbitofrontal cortex correlate with a higher score in the psychopathy scale.{{Cite journal |last1=Tiihonen |first1=Jari |last2=Rossi |first2=Roberta |last3=Laakso |first3=Mikko P. |last4=Hodgins |first4=Sheilagh |last5=Testa |first5=Cristina |last6=Perez |first6=Jorge |last7=Repo-Tiihonen |first7=Eila |last8=Vaurio |first8=Olli |last9=Soininen |first9=Hilkka |date=2008-08-30 |title=Brain anatomy of persistent violent offenders: more rather than less |journal=Psychiatry Research |volume=163 |issue=3 |pages=201–212 |doi=10.1016/j.pscychresns.2007.08.012 |pmid=18662866|s2cid=8917479 }} The amygdala is also dysfunctional in psychopaths decreasing the ability to recognize emotional stimuli and lacking the ability to promote activity in the moral promoting region of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex.{{Cite journal |last1=Veit |first1=Ralf |last2=Flor |first2=Herta |last3=Erb |first3=Michael |last4=Hermann |first4=Christiane |last5=Lotze |first5=Martin |last6=Grodd |first6=Wolfgang |last7=Birbaumer |first7=Niels |date=2002-08-16 |title=Brain circuits involved in emotional learning in antisocial behavior and social phobia in humans |journal=Neuroscience Letters |volume=328 |issue=3 |pages=233–236 |pmid=12147314|doi=10.1016/S0304-3940(02)00519-0 |s2cid=13429341 }}{{Cite journal |last1=Finger |first1=Elizabeth C. |last2=Marsh |first2=Abigail A. |last3=Mitchell |first3=Derek G. |last4=Reid |first4=Marguerite E. |last5=Sims |first5=Courtney |last6=Budhani |first6=Salima |last7=Kosson |first7=David S. |last8=Chen |first8=Gang |last9=Towbin |first9=Kenneth E. |date=2008-05-01 |title=Abnormal ventromedial prefrontal cortex function in children with psychopathic traits during reversal learning |journal=Archives of General Psychiatry |volume=65 |issue=5 |pages=586–594 |doi=10.1001/archpsyc.65.5.586 |pmc=3104600 |pmid=18458210}}{{Cite journal |last=Blair |first=R. J. R. |date=2007-09-01 |title=The amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex in morality and psychopathy |journal=Trends in Cognitive Sciences |volume=11 |issue=9 |pages=387–392 |doi=10.1016/j.tics.2007.07.003 |pmid=17707682|s2cid=17857243 }}

File:Phineas Gage injury - animation (frontal lobe).gif

The most studied case of a brain lesion affecting the neuromoral network was that of Phineas Gage who suffered from damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex due to an accident.{{Cite journal |last=García-Molina |first=A. |date=2012-07-01 |title=[Phineas Gage and the enigma of the prefrontal cortex] |journal=Neurologia (Barcelona, Spain) |volume=27 |issue=6 |pages=370–375 |doi=10.1016/j.nrl.2010.07.015 |pmid=21163195|doi-access=free }} The damage led Gage through a complete personality transformation that included the expression of socially inappropriate statements and lies towards his family and friends. Lesions in the right hemisphere's frontal lobe are associated with antisocial states{{cite journal

| last1 = Filley

| first1 = CM

| last2 = Kletenik

| first2 = I

| last3 = Churchland

| first3 = PS

|date=2020-12-02

| title = Morality and the Brain: The Right Hemisphere and Doing Right

| url = https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33264160/

| journal = Cogn Behav Neurol

| volume = 33

| issue = 4

| pages = 304–307

| doi = 10.1097/WNN.0000000000000253

| pmid = 33264160

| s2cid = 227218449

| access-date =2020-12-21

}} and left frontal lesions are associated with increase in violent behaviors.{{Cite journal |last1=Paradiso |first1=S. |last2=Robinson |first2=R. G. |last3=Arndt |first3=S. |date=1996-12-01 |title=Self-reported aggressive behavior in patients with stroke |journal=The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease |volume=184 |issue=12 |pages=746–753 |pmid=8994458|doi=10.1097/00005053-199612000-00005 |s2cid=19267882 }}{{Cite journal |last1=Pillmann |first1=F. |last2=Rohde |first2=A. |last3=Ullrich |first3=S. |last4=Draba |first4=S. |last5=Sannemüller |first5=U. |last6=Marneros |first6=A. |date=1999-01-01 |title=Violence, criminal behavior, and the EEG: significance of left hemispheric focal abnormalities |journal=The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences |volume=11 |issue=4 |pages=454–457 |doi=10.1176/jnp.11.4.454 |pmid=10570757|s2cid=5809781 }} Individuals with focal lesions in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the orbitofrontal cortex exhibit amoral choices in moral tasks and lack of empathy, compassion, shame, and guilt.{{Cite journal |last1=Eslinger |first1=Paul J. |last2=Flaherty-Craig |first2=Claire V. |last3=Benton |first3=Arthur L. |date=2004-06-01 |title=Developmental outcomes after early prefrontal cortex damage |journal=Brain and Cognition |volume=55 |issue=1 |pages=84–103 |doi=10.1016/S0278-2626(03)00281-1 |pmid=15134845|s2cid=32521162 }}{{Cite journal |last1=Bechara |first1=A. |last2=Tranel |first2=D. |last3=Damasio |first3=H. |date=2000-11-01 |title=Characterization of the decision-making deficit of patients with ventromedial prefrontal cortex lesions |journal=Brain |volume=123 |issue=11 |pages=2189–2202 |pmid=11050020|doi=10.1093/brain/123.11.2189 |doi-access=free }}{{Cite journal |last1=Bechara |first1=A. |last2=Damasio |first2=A. R. |last3=Damasio |first3=H. |last4=Anderson |first4=S. W. |date=1994-04-01 |title=Insensitivity to future consequences following damage to human prefrontal cortex |journal=Cognition |volume=50 |issue=1–3 |pages=7–15 |pmid=8039375|doi=10.1016/0010-0277(94)90018-3 |s2cid=204981454 }}{{Cite journal |last1=Blair |first1=R. J. |last2=Cipolotti |first2=L. |date=2000-06-01 |title=Impaired social response reversal. A case of 'acquired sociopathy' |journal=Brain |volume=123 |issue=6 |pages=1122–1141 |pmid=10825352|doi=10.1093/brain/123.6.1122 |doi-access=free }}{{Cite journal |last1=Cushman |first1=Fiery |last2=Young |first2=Liane |last3=Hauser |first3=Marc |date=2006-12-01 |title=The role of conscious reasoning and intuition in moral judgment: testing three principles of harm |journal=Psychological Science |volume=17 |issue=12 |pages=1082–1089 |doi=10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01834.x |pmid=17201791|s2cid=17294896 }}{{Cite journal |last1=Damasio |first1=A. R. |last2=Tranel |first2=D. |last3=Damasio |first3=H. |date=1990-12-14 |title=Individuals with sociopathic behavior caused by frontal damage fail to respond autonomically to social stimuli |journal=Behavioural Brain Research |volume=41 |issue=2 |pages=81–94 |pmid=2288668|doi=10.1016/0166-4328(90)90144-4 |s2cid=1365170 }}{{Cite journal |last1=Koenigs |first1=Michael |last2=Young |first2=Liane |last3=Adolphs |first3=Ralph |last4=Tranel |first4=Daniel |last5=Cushman |first5=Fiery |last6=Hauser |first6=Marc |last7=Damasio |first7=Antonio |date=2007-04-19 |title=Damage to the prefrontal cortex increases utilitarian moral judgements |journal=Nature |volume=446 |issue=7138 |pages=908–911 |doi=10.1038/nature05631 |pmc=2244801 |pmid=17377536 |bibcode=2007Natur.446..908K}}{{Cite journal |last1=Shamay-Tsoory |first1=S. G. |last2=Tomer |first2=R. |last3=Berger |first3=B. D. |last4=Goldsher |first4=D. |last5=Aharon-Peretz |first5=J. |date=2005-03-01 |title=Impaired "affective theory of mind" is associated with right ventromedial prefrontal damage |journal=Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=55–67 |pmid=15761277|doi=10.1097/01.wnn.0000152228.90129.99 |s2cid=7713804 |doi-access=free }}{{Cite journal |last1=Tranel |first1=Daniel |last2=Bechara |first2=Antoine |last3=Denburg |first3=Natalie L. |date=2002-09-01 |title=Asymmetric functional roles of right and left ventromedial prefrontal cortices in social conduct, decision-making, and emotional processing |journal=Cortex |volume=38 |issue=4 |pages=589–612 |pmid=12465670|doi=10.1016/S0010-9452(08)70024-8 |s2cid=205874148 }}{{Cite journal |last=Tranel |first=D. |date=1994-01-01 |title="Acquired sociopathy": the development of sociopathic behavior following focal brain damage |journal=Progress in Experimental Personality & Psychopathology Research |pages=285–311 |pmid=8044207}}

The study of brain areas that relate to morality can be utilized to promote moral behavior through transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct-current stimulation. Stimulation of the medial prefrontal cortex results in reduction of racial biases and increase in rejection of unfair offers.{{Cite journal |last1=Darby |first1=R. Ryan |last2=Pascual-Leone |first2=Alvaro |date=2017-02-22 |title=Moral Enhancement Using Non-invasive Brain Stimulation |journal=Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |volume=11 |page=77 |doi=10.3389/fnhum.2017.00077 |pmc=5319982 |pmid=28275345|doi-access=free }}{{Cite journal |last1=Civai |first1=Claudia |last2=Miniussi |first2=Carlo |last3=Rumiati |first3=Raffaella I. |date=2015-08-01 |title=Medial prefrontal cortex reacts to unfairness if this damages the self: a tDCS study |journal=Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience |volume=10 |issue=8 |pages=1054–1060 |doi=10.1093/scan/nsu154 |pmc=4526475 |pmid=25552567}} Stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex increases trust and cooperation,{{Cite journal |last1=Nihonsugi |first1=Tsuyoshi |last2=Ihara |first2=Aya |last3=Haruno |first3=Masahiko |date=2015-02-25 |title=Selective Increase of Intention-Based Economic Decisions by Noninvasive Brain Stimulation to the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex |journal=Journal of Neuroscience |language=en |volume=35 |issue=8 |pages=3412–3419 |doi=10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3885-14.2015 |pmid=25716841|pmc=6605550 }} decreases proactive aggression in males,{{Cite journal |last1=Dambacher |first1=Franziska |last2=Schuhmann |first2=Teresa |last3=Lobbestael |first3=Jill |last4=Arntz |first4=Arnoud |last5=Brugman |first5=Suzanne |last6=Sack |first6=Alexander T. |date=2015-10-01 |title=Reducing proactive aggression through non-invasive brain stimulation |journal=Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience |volume=10 |issue=10 |pages=1303–1309 |doi=10.1093/scan/nsv018 |pmc=4590530 |pmid=25680991}} increases empathy,{{cite web |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266380235 |title=Academic paper: Transcranial direct current stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex increased pain empathy |website=ResearchGate |language=en |access-date=2017-04-06}} and increases the acceptance of unfair offers.{{Cite journal |last1=Knoch |first1=Daria |last2=Nitsche |first2=Michael A. |last3=Fischbacher |first3=Urs |last4=Eisenegger |first4=Christoph |last5=Pascual-Leone |first5=Alvaro |last6=Fehr |first6=Ernst |date=2008-09-01 |title=Studying the Neurobiology of Social Interaction with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation—The Example of Punishing Unfairness |journal=Cerebral Cortex |volume=18 |issue=9 |pages=1987–1990 |doi=10.1093/cercor/bhm237 |pmid=18158325 |doi-access=free }} Stimulation of the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex decreases aggressive behavior following exclusion.{{Cite journal |last1=Riva |first1=Paolo |last2=Lauro |first2=Romero |last3=J |first3=Leonor |last4=DeWall |first4=C. Nathan |last5=Chester |first5=David S. |last6=Bushman |first6=Brad J. |date=2015-03-01 |title=Reducing aggressive responses to social exclusion using transcranial direct current stimulation |journal=Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience |volume=10 |issue=3 |pages=352–356 |doi=10.1093/scan/nsu053 |pmc=4350477 |pmid=24748546}}

Criminal offenders have substantial impairment in elements of the neuromoral circuit.{{Cite journal |last1=Raine |first1=Adrian |last2=Yang |first2=Yaling |date=2017-04-06 |title=Neural foundations to moral reasoning and antisocial behavior |journal=Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience |volume=1 |issue=3 |pages=203–213 |doi=10.1093/scan/nsl033 |pmc=2555414 |pmid=18985107}} Dysfunction in the area of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex has been linked to the antisocial features of impulsivity and lack of social inhibition.{{Cite journal |last1=Yang |first1=Yaling |last2=Raine |first2=Adrian |date=2009-11-30 |title=Prefrontal Structural and Functional Brain Imaging findings in Antisocial, Violent, and Psychopathic Individuals: A Meta-Analysis |journal=Psychiatry Research |volume=174 |issue=2 |pages=81–88 |doi=10.1016/j.pscychresns.2009.03.012 |pmc=2784035 |pmid=19833485}} Dysfunction to the anterior cingulate has been linked to low emotional processing and increased aggressiveness.{{Cite journal |last1=Devinsky |first1=O. |last2=Morrell |first2=M. J. |last3=Vogt |first3=B. A. |date=1995-02-01 |title=Contributions of anterior cingulate cortex to behaviour |journal=Brain |volume=118 |pages=279–306 |pmid=7895011|doi=10.1093/brain/118.1.279 |issue=1}}{{Cite journal |last1=Danckert |first1=J. |last2=Maruff |first2=P. |last3=Ymer |first3=C. |last4=Kinsella |first4=G. |last5=Yucel |first5=M. |last6=de Graaff |first6=S. |last7=Currie |first7=J. |date=2000-01-01 |title=Goal-directed selective attention and response competition monitoring: evidence from unilateral parietal and anterior cingulate lesions |journal=Neuropsychology |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=16–28 |pmid=10674795|doi=10.1037/0894-4105.14.1.16 }} As in the case of Michael below, damage to the orbitofrontal cortex has been linked to antisocial and criminal behavior.{{Cite journal |last1=Burns |first1=Jeffrey M. |last2=Swerdlow |first2=Russell H. |date=2003-03-01 |title=Right Orbitofrontal Tumor With Pedophilia Symptom and Constructional Apraxia Sign |journal=Archives of Neurology |language=en |volume=60 |issue=3 |pages=437–40 |doi=10.1001/archneur.60.3.437 |pmid=12633158 |doi-access=free }}{{Cite journal |last1=Grafman |first1=J. |last2=Schwab |first2=K. |last3=Warden |first3=D. |last4=Pridgen |first4=A. |last5=Brown |first5=H. R. |last6=Salazar |first6=A. M. |date=1996-05-01 |title=Frontal lobe injuries, violence, and aggression: a report of the Vietnam Head Injury Study |journal=Neurology |volume=46 |issue=5 |pages=1231–1238 |pmid=8628458|doi=10.1212/WNL.46.5.1231 |s2cid=21610858 }} Damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex has been linked to antisocial behavior, poor and amoral decision making, and reduced autonomic response to emotionally arousing stimuli.{{Cite book |title=Descartes' error : emotion, reason and the human brain |last=R. |first=Damasio, Antonio |date=2004-01-01 |publisher=Quill |isbn=978-0380726479 |oclc=254107691}} Evidence relating to the function of the neuromoral circuit has been proposed to be a new avenue towards the justice of criminal offenders.{{cite web |url=http://www.nature.com/nrn/series/neurosciencelaw/index.html |title=Article series : Nature Reviews Neuroscience |website=www.nature.com |language=en |access-date=2017-04-06}} Such an application includes the ability to detect lying through fMRI.{{Cite journal |last1=Rusconi |first1=Elena |last2=Mitchener-Nissen |first2=Timothy |date=2013-09-24 |title=Prospects of functional magnetic resonance imaging as lie detector |journal=Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |volume=7 |page=594 |doi=10.3389/fnhum.2013.00594 |pmc=3781577 |pmid=24065912|doi-access=free }}

A case where the neuromoral circuits function was implicated with the judiciary system was that of Michael. Michael was a school teacher who started behaving abnormally by bringing pornographic content to school and trying to have sexual intercourse with his stepdaughter. When he was taken into custody he expressed severe headaches and was taken to the nearby hospital. An fMRI of his brain revealed a tumor in the base of his orbitofrontal cortex. When the tumor was removed his behavior returned to normal.

The story of Donta Page{{Cite book |title=The anatomy of violence : the biological roots of crime |last=Jork) |first=Vintage Books (Nowy |date=2014-01-01 |publisher=Vintage Books |isbn=9780307475619 |oclc=951424228 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/anatomyofviolenc0000rain }} is another example of the application of our knowledge of the neuromoral circuit. Page was trialled for the rape and murder of a young woman. During the trial his past history of being abused in conjunction to imaging of his brain, showing damage to the neuromoral circuit, led to the reduction his sentence from death sentence to imprisonment for life.

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Category:Cognitive neuroscience

Category:Morality

Category:Neurophilosophy