**5. Conclusion**

In conclusion and although are necessary more studies in this area; people with this disorder seem to show an atypical brain development and respect to your brain function in comparison with control subjects, the results of these latter studies appear to demonstrate that, in the presence of stimuli that are sexually relevant for each group, the central processing of these stimuli is comparable in the two groups, while the pattern of cerebral activation exhibited differs.

#### **6. References**

82 Neuroimaging for Clinicians – Combining Research and Practice

Paedophilic and non paedophilic men exhibit a frontal and subcortical activation during processing of sexually relevant stimuli. The paedophiles show more activation in subcortical regions during sex relevant images processing (in hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, septal areas), regions that are implicated in the modulation of sexual behaviours and genital responses. The activation of these subcortical areas is more intense in paedophiles in comparison to controls that exhibit more activation of prefrontal cortex, the essential structure in the control of the information processing and to co-ordinate behaviour and

The findings of the neuroimaging studies in paedophilia suggest that paedophilic and no paedophilic men may differ more fundamentally in the brain function during processing of sexually relevant stimuli. They differ in the brain areas that are activated and not in the brain areas that are implied. In paedophilia this different neural activation in comparison with healthy controls men (without paedophilia) could be owe principally to an alterations in the association fibres of brain that connect different cortical and subcortical areas that realize visual processing or to a structural alteration in neural areas that are important in the development of sexual behaviour (for example in the frontal cortex, amygdala, hypothalamus and septal regions). Too the data of the structural studies could indicate an atypical brain development in paedophiles that could lead to an atypical processing in relation to sexual stimuli and sexual behaviour. But it is necessary to be cautious in the interpretation of the results of these studies. Since some of these works, as the study of Walter et al. (2007) finds a differential activation of subcortical regions in relation to other works that find different evidence. For what it is very necessary to increase the knowledge

The results of these studies offer a new perspective on paedophilia and can provide the bases for the development of more sophisticated diagnostic tools and new therapeutic approaches to the treatment of this disorder. Although in relation with the methodology of the works realized up to the date, will be of importance that future studies include a more number of persons with diagnosis of paedophilia, for what works with greater statistical power would be desirable to observe if the findings continue being after of to increase the sample. Also future researchs with a larger sample size would aid in the discovery of other

Regarding the groups to include in later studies, would be suitable the incorporation of different groups as sexual non-paedophile aggressors group and of other groups of offenders for if there is some type of alteration that can be due to the sexual aggression or the delinquency in general. Finally, the study of the entire brain might be a method of study more succeeded to try to discover possible differences that the studies that have centred on regions of interest could have overlooked. It is necessary to bear in mind that the area of study, for the social repercussions that carries among other things, is a difficult area for

In conclusion and although are necessary more studies in this area; people with this disorder seem to show an atypical brain development and respect to your brain function in

planning some type of study and especially for obtaining the necessary sample.

**4. Discussion** 

inhibition of urges impulses.

in this field with new studies.

possible differences.

**5. Conclusion** 


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**Part 3** 

**Systems & Networks** 

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**Part 3** 

**Systems & Networks** 

86 Neuroimaging for Clinicians – Combining Research and Practice

World Health Organization, WHO. (2010). International Statistical Classification of Diseases:

<www.who.int>

ICD-10, In: *World Health Organization*, December 15, 2010. Available from:

**6** 

*Poland* 

**Functional Anatomy, Physiology** 

*Polish Academy of Sciences Sue Ryder Home in Bydgoszcz* 

Edward Jacek Gorzelańczyk

**and Clinical Aspects of Basal Ganglia** 

Ensuring coordination of the nervous system functioning, communication between various structures, adjusting the functions to the changes in internal and external environment depends on processing of substantial amount of information (Groenewegen, 2007;

The concept of cortico-subcortical loops is one of the explanations of the physiological

The most important elements are striatum and cerebral cortex. Especially in the pyramidal cells of the cerebral cortex and medium spiny neurons of the striatum there is capacity for plastic changes relating to the control of broadly defined mental functions (motor,

The cerebral cortex is linked to the striatum via cortico-subcortical pathways, from where information is transmitted to the globus pallidus pars internalis or the substantia nigra pars reticulata (which physiologically and anatomically constitute one structure) or via the

The evidence of the anatomical and physiological brain research supported by clinical data and theoretical models suggests there are at least five loops (also called circuits) related to motor, emotional and cognitive functioning control (Alexander et all., 1986; DeLong et all., 1998). The loops division as well as the control of functions assigned to these loops has more model and didactic character rather than it reflects the real character and complexity of the

The following cortico-subcortical loops have been described: 1. motor - between additional motor area of the cerebral cortex and the lateral part of dorsal striatum – putamen; 2. oculomotor - between the frontal visual eye field of the cerebral cortex and the corpus of the caudate (nucleus caudatus) belonging to the medial part of dorsal striatum; 3. prefrontal (associative) - between dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex and the dorso-lateral part of the head of caudate (nucleus caudatus) (the frontal part of the medial part of dorsal striatum); 4. latero-orbito-frontal - between lateral orbito-frontal cerebral cortex and the ventromedial part of the head of caudate (medial part of the dorsal striatum); 5. limbic (circuit of the anterior part of the cingular gyrus) - between the anterior part of the anterior cingulate

According to the classic description (Alexander et all., 1986) these circuits pass through various areas of cerebral cortex and subcortical structures and they have similar principles

ventral globus pallidus reach the thalamus and the cerebral cortex subsequently.

gyrus and the ventral striatum (of which the main part is the nucleus accumbens).

control of the majority of motor, emotional and cognitive functions.

**1. Introduction** 

emotional, cognitive).

Groenewegen & van Dongen, 2007).

functions controlling these loops.
