Faculty Profiles

Adrian Raine
Graduate Chair, Department of Criminology, University of Pennsylvania
Richard Perry University Professor, Departments of Criminology, Psychiatry, and Psychology, University of Pennsylvania

B.A. Experimental Psychology, Jesus College, Oxford University, England, 1977.
M.A. Experimental Psychology, Jesus College, Oxford University, England, 1982.
D.Phil. Psychology, York University, England, 1982.

Email: araine@sas.upenn.edu
See also: Academy of Experimental Criminology: Fellows

Research Areas

My main area of interest is Neurocriminology – an emerging sub-discipline of Criminology which applies neuroscience techniques to probe the causes and cures of crime. My laboratory focus on risk and protective factors for childhood conduct disorder, reactive and proactive aggression, adult antisocial personality disorder, homicide, and psychopathy. We are also conducting several intervention studies using nutritional supplements to improve brain functioning and reduce antisocial and aggressive behavior in both children and adults. Our clinical neuroscience research program encompasses adults, adolescents, children, and toddlers, and we have interests in both male and female antisocial behavior. Techniques we use in our research include structural and functional brain imaging, autonomic and central nervous system psychophysiology, neuroendocrinology, neuropsychology, and x-ray fluorescence. We take a biosocial perspective to our investigation of antisocial behavior in which our end-goal is to integrate social, psychological, and environmental processes with neurobiological approaches to better understand antisocial behavior. We are also interested in other clinical disorders including schizotypal personality, hyperactivity, oppositional defiant disorder, alcohol and drug abuse, depression, PTSD, and anxiety which are comorbid with antisocial behavior.

Current Projects

We currently have 9 ongoing funded projects, six of which have significant funding, and one new project in which graduate students can become centrally involved. We welcome applicants to both the Criminology and Psychology PhD and MA programs, as well as the Psychology Ph.D. programs. Funding for our research has come from the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute of Alcohol and Alcohol Abuse, the National Institute of Child Health and Development, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the Mauritius Ministry of Health, and the Singapore Medical Research Council. Key studies are as follows:

Health, Brains and Behavior Study (Role: Principal Investigator)

This is a four-year study on the etiology and treatment of conduct disorder, aggression, and psychopathy in 11-12 year old children form the community in Philadelphia, funded by the Department of Health, Pennsylvania. Regarding the treatment component, children are randomized into one of four groups (cognitive-behavior therapy only, omega-3 only, omega-3 plus cognitive-behavior therapy, and treatment-as-usual) to assess whether the combined treatment program is more effect than nutrition or CBT alone. The etiology component involves assessment of functional and structural brain imaging, psychophysiology, hormones, bone lead levels, neurocognition, nutrition, personality, social, and neighborhood factors.

Mauritius-Penn Child Health Project (Role: Principal Investigator)

The Mauritius Child Health Project is a longitudinal study of child health and development. Starting at age 3, 1,795 male and female children from the tropical island of Mauritius were assessed on a wide range of psychophysiological, cognitive, temperamental, behavioral, health, and social measures. They were followed up again at ages 8, 11, and 17 When aged 23-26, they were assessed on self-report measures of crime and violence, schizotypal personality, alcohol use, and depression with funding from NIMH and NIAAA. Court conviction data have also been collected. At ages 27-30 they were assessed for all axis I and II clinical disorders using the SCID. Now in their 30’s, they are having children of their own, and we are completing an NICHD- funded study on their children aimed at understanding the mechanisms underlying the intergenerational transmission of antisocial behavior within a biosocial framework. We have also been piloting a nutritional intervention to reduced aggressive and antisocial behavior in children, and are continuing long-term follow-ups on the original sample.

Intergenerational Transmission of Alcoholism (Role: Co-Principal Investigator)

This is a new five-year NIH-funded longitudinal study conducted in conjunction with Dr. Susan Luczak (PI – University of Southern California) which aims to assess the development of early alcohol use in teenagers. My particular interests lie in that subgroup who are both antisocial and also alcohol users, and how developmentally they differ to those who are only antisocial or only alcohol users on putative risk and protective factors. We are using multidimensional assessment batteries which are designed to assess a wide range of processes, including biological, genetic, cultural, familial, and psychosocial factors that are part of developmental pathway to antisocial behavior and alcohol use.

Los Angeles-Penn Violence Study (Role: Principal Investigator)

We have been conducting structural and functional brain imaging on a noninstitutionalized sample drawn from the Los Angeles community. We take both dimensional and categorical measures of psychopathology on these individuals, including all Axis I and Axis II disorder, but have focused our efforts on antisocial personality disorder (and psychopathy), schizotypal personality disorder, alcohol and substance use, and depression. In addition to structural brain imaging, we also take psychophysiological, neuropsychological, personality, and psychosocial measures on these individuals. We have now completed two community studies which are providing a rich source of data for hypothesis-testing on the biosocial bases of psychopathy and violence. Recent structural MRI findings from this study show that antisocials have an 11% reduction in the volume of prefrontal gray matter, findings which support our previous positron emission tomography work (PET) on murderers which showed poorer functioning of the prefrontal cortex. New functional MRI findings from the current study indicate that violent offenders with a history of severe physical abuse have poorer functioning of both left and right temporal cortex in response to a working memory challenge task. We are currently setting up a new study aimed at extending our recent findings.

Nanjing-Penn Violence and Schizophrenia Study (Role: Principal Investigator)

We have been conducting a collaborative study with Nanjing Medical University assessing murderers, schizophrenic murderers, schizophrenics (non-murderers) and controls on a range of neurobiological measures. These include brain imaging (MRI), neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine), hormones (cortisol, testosterone), psychophysiology (EEG, ERPs), and neuropsychology (e.g. Wisconsin Card Sort). In addition to psychosocial and demographic factors, a detailed forensic assessment is also made and includes the constructs of psychopathy and proactive- reactive aggression. Our key collaborator in Nanjing is Dr. Chenbo Han., Head of Forensic Psychiatry at Nanjing Medical University.

Singapore-Penn Nutrition Intervention Study (Role: Principal Investigator)

This new collaborative study is funded by the Singapore Medical Research Council and represents a collaboration between the University of Pennsylvania, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), and the Institute of Mental Health (Singapore). The overarching aim of this study is to assess whether a nutritional intervention, when combined with a social skills training program, is more effective than either approach alone in treating conduct disorder and attention-deficit hyperactive disorder in children and adolescents. This study included diagnostic, social, demographic, personality, neurocognitive, and nutritional measures. Collaborators in Singapore include Dr. Daniel Fund, Dr. Rebecca Ang, and Dr. Ooi Yoon Phaik.

Jintan – Penn Cohort Study (Role: Co-Principal Investigator)

This is a new five-year NIH-funded longitudinal study of childhood antisocial (PI – Penn School of Nursing). It builds on the Jintan Cohort, an epidemiological sample consisting of 1,650 3-5 year-old Chinese boys and girls whose blood lead levels were obtained in 2004, and their IQ test scores and behavioral measures were assessed at age 6 years. We are currently adding new neurocognitive and emotion measures in addition to repeating measures of blood lead, IQ, behavior, school performance, and psychosocial risk factors during preadolescent year. Our overarching goal is to assess whether early neurocognitive and psychophysiological impairments can account for the relationship between lead exposure and antisocial / aggressive / hyperactive behavior in children, and to understand how and why this may occur.

Seoul-Penn Intervention on Juvenile Delinquency (Role: Co-Principal Investigator)

In this collaboration with scientists in South Korea (PI: Soo Jung Lee at Kyonggi University) we have been conducting a psychological and nutritional intervention on juvenile delinquents under probation. This intervention combines omega-3 with cognitive- behavior therapy in order to reduce impulsivity within a sample of juvenile delinquents. Initial findings are indicating significant improvements in both impulsivity and emotion regulation.

Hong Kong – Penn Spouse Abuse Program (Role: Co-Principal Investigator).

We have been conducting a series of experiments on spouse abusers in Hong Kong in collaboration with Dr. Tatia Lee (Department of Psychology, University of Hong Kong) which investigate the neurocognitive and neurophysiological risk factors that put some men at risk for abusing their spouses. Our initial brain imaging findings haveare indicateding that spouse abusers show limbic over-reactivity to emotionally provocative stimuli and at the same time have reduced prefrontal resources to deal with this excessive emotional reactivity.

Los Angeles Twin Study (Role: Co-Principal Investigator)

We are collaborating closely with Dr. Laura Baker (PI) in the Psychology Department at the University of Southern California on an NIMH-funded twin study of antisocial, aggressive, and psychopathic behavior in 1,200 twins, starting at age 9 years and extending into early adulthood. Our sample are currently in their late teens. In addition to family, school and peer influences, we have been examining the genetic basis to antisocial behavior and how genetic predispositions given rise to psychophysiological, hormonal, neurocognitive, and psychophysiological risk factors for antisocial and aggressive behavior.

Hong Kong Project C.A.R.E. (Role: Co-Investigator)

In conjunction with Dr. Annis Fung (PI: City University) this project is devised in response to the pledge made by the Secretary for Education and Manpower Bureau in Hong Kong to adopt a “zero-tolerance” approach to school violence. This study has so far assessed over 15,000 Hong Kong schoolchildren on a range of risk factors for antisocial and aggressive behavior. A smaller number have entered treatment programs specifically designed to tackle either reactive aggression, or proactive aggression. Our current research papers have been focusing on risk factors for reactive and proactive aggression, psychopathy, and schizotypal personality.

I am currently working with the Singapore government to assess whether omega-3 supplements can help young prisoners by reducing their impulsive aggressive behavior. We are aiming to conduct a randomized controlled trial on 200 offenders.

Academic Positions Held

1980-1984: Course Tutor in Social Psychology, Open University, England
1984-1987: University Lecturer in Behavioral Sciences (tenured 1987) Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Nottingham, England
1986-present: Director, Joint Child Health Project, Mauritius
1987-1990: Assistant Professor (tenure-track), Dept. of Psychology, University of Southern California
1990-1994: Associate Professor (tenured), Dept. of Psychology, University of Southern California
1990-1993: Associate Chair, Dept. of Psychology, University of Southern California
1994-2007: Professor (tenured), Dept. of Psychology, University of Southern California
1999-2007: Robert Grandford Wright Professor in Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Dept. of Psychology, University of Southern California
2007-present: University Professor and the Richard Perry Professor of Criminology, Psychiatry, and Psychology, University of Pennsylvania
2008-present: Chair, Department of Criminology, University of Pennsylvania

Career and Recent Professional Awards

1980: Young Psychologist of the Year (British Psychological Society).
1982: K.M. Stott Prize ("Distinguished Performance in Postgraduate Research"). University of York .
1989: Young Scientist Award, Biennial Winter Workshop on Schizophrenia.
1992: Research Mentorship Award ("outstanding faculty-student research team"; Phi Kappa Phi, U.S.C.
1993: Distinguished Research in Psychology (Dept. of Psychology, U.S.C.)
1993: Research Scientist Development Award, NIMH.
1997: Distinguished Research in Psychology (Dept. of Psychology, U.S.C.)
1998: Joseph Zubin Memorial Award (awarded by the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic for “distinguished and creative early contributions to psychopathology research”).
1999: Independent Scientist Award, NIMH.
1999: Robert Grandford Wright Professorship (endowed chair), University of Southern California.
2003: Associates Award for Creativity in Research, University of Southern California.
2006: Fellow: Academy of Experimental Criminology.
2007: University Professorship and Richard Perry Professorship (endowed chair).

Representive Publications

Raine, A., Lencz, T., Bihrle, S., Lacasse, L., and Colletti, P. (2000). Reduced prefrontal gray matter volume and reduced autonomic activity in antisocial personality disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry 57: 119-127.

Raine, A. Park, S., Lencz, T., Bihrle, S., LaCasse, L., Widom, C.S., Al-Dayeh, L., and Singh, M. (2001). Reduced right hemisphere activation in severely abused violent offenders during a working memory task: An fMRI study. Aggressive Behavior 27: 111-129.

Raine, A ., and Sanmartin, J. (Ed). (2001) Violence and psychopathy. New York : Kluwer/Plenum.

Raine, A. (2002). The biological basis of crime. In J.Q. Wilson and J. Petersilia (Eds.), Crime: Public Policies For Crime Control (pp. 43-74). San Francisco : ICS Press.

Raine, A ., Yaralian, P.S., Reynolds, C., Venables, P.H. and Mednick , S.A. (2002). Spatial but not verbal cognitive deficits at age 3 years in persistently antisocial individuals. Development and Psychopathology,
1: 25-44.

Raine, A . (2002). Annotation: The role of prefrontal deficits, low autonomic arousal, and early health factors in the development of antisocial and aggressive behavior. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 43: 417-434.

Raine, A. (2002). Biosocial studies of antisocial and violent behavior in children and adults: A review. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 30: 311-326.

Raine, A ., Mellingen, K., Liu, J., Venables, P.H., and Mednick , S.A. (2003) Effects of environmental enrichment at 3-5 years on schizotypal personality and antisocial behavior at ages 17 and 23 years. American Journal of Psychiatry, 160: 1627-1635.

Raine, A ., Lencz, T., Taylor, K., Hellige, J.B., Bihrle, S., Lacasse, L., Lee, M., Ishikawa, S.S., and Colletti, P. (2003). Corpus callosum abnormalities in psychopathic antisocial individuals. Archives of General Psychiatry 60: 1134-1142.

Raine, A., Ishikawa, S.S., Arce, E., Lencz, T., Knuth, K.H., Bihrle, S., Lacasse, L., and Colletti, P. (2004). Hippocampal structural asymmetry in unsuccessful psychopaths. Biological Psychiatry, 55: 185-191.

Raine, A., Moffitt, T.E., Caspi, A., Loeber, R., Stouthamer-Loeber, M., and Lynam, D. (2005). Neurocognitive impairments in boys on the life-course persistent antisocial path. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 114 38-49.

Raine, A. and Yang, Y. (2006). The neuroanatomical bases of psychopathy: a review of brain imaging findings. In C. J. Patrick (ed.) Handbook of psychopathy (pp. 278-295). Guilford.

Raine, A. , Dodge, K., Loeber, R., Gatzke-Kopp , L., Lynam, D., Reynolds, C., Stouthamer-Loeber, M., and Liu, J. (2006). The Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire: Differential correlates of reactive and proactive aggression in adolescent boys. Aggressive Behavior, 32: 159-171.

Raine, A. and Yang, Y. (2006). Neural foundations to moral reasoning and antisocial behavior. Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience, 1: 203-213.

Raine, A. (Ed.) (2006). Crime and schizophrenia: Causes and cures. New York : Nova Science.

Glenn, A.L. and Raine, A. (2008). The neurobiology of psychopathy. Psychiatric Clinics of North America,
31: 463-476.

Lee, T.M.C., Chan , S.C. , and Raine, A. (2008). Strong limbic and weak frontal activation to aggressive stimuli in spouse abusers. Molecular Psychiatry, 13: 655-660.

Raine, A. From genes to brain to antisocial behavior (in press). Current Directions in Psychological Science.

Lee, T.M.C., Chan, S.C., and Raine, A. (2008). Strong limbic and weak frontal activation to aggressive stimuli in spouse abusers. Molecular Psychiatry, 13 655-660.

Glenn, A., Raine, A. and Schug, R. (2009). The neural correlates of moral decision-making in psychopathy. Molecular Psychiatry, 14 5-6.

Raine, A., Liu, J., Venables, P.H., Mednick, S.A. and Dalais, C. (2009). Cohort profile: The Mauritius Child Health Project. International Journal of Epidemiology. (Online access December 7).

Raine, A., Yang, Y., Narr, K., and Toga, A. (2009). Sex differences in orbitofrontal gray as a partial explanation for sex differences in antisocial personality. Molecular Psychiatry Dec 22. [Epub ahead of print].

Gao, Y., Raine, A., Venables, P.H., Dawson, M.E. and Mednick, S.A. (2010). Association of poor childhood fear conditioning and adult crime. American Journal of Psychiatry 167 156-160.

Raine, A., Lee, L., Yang, Y. and Colletti, P. (in press). A neurodevelopmental marker for limbic maldevelopment in antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy. British Journal of Psychiatry.

Baker, L., Raine, A., Liu, J. and Jacobsen, K.C. (in press). Genetic and environmental influences on reactive and proactive aggression in children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology.

Raine, A. From genes to brain to antisocial behavior (in press). Current Directions in Psychological Science.

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