In 2002, the New Scientist Magazine published a very particular article about the strange case of a man who developed altered sexual practices, among which were desires to engage in sexual acts with minors. What could have led the man to present such dark desires, that even legally he ended up declaring himself "innocent"?
The strange case.
Altered sexual needs.
At 40 years of age, a happily married schoolteacher (identity withheld) was leading what would be considered a normal life when he began to exhibit a strong sexual interest focused on infants. Quickly, the man began secretly visiting child pornography websites and soliciting prostitutes at massage parlors, activities he had not previously engaged in or planned to engage in. While the man felt his new behavior was unacceptable, in his own words, "the 'pleasure principle' overrode his control".
Legally pedophile.
Failing to satisfy his desires, the man began making subtle sexual advances toward young children, including his stepdaughter. It wasn't long before his wife discovered him, after which he was legally evicted from his home, convicted of child molestation and medicated for pedophilia.
The judge ruled that he had to pass a 12-step rehabilitation program from Sex Addicts Anonymous or face jail time. The aforementioned chose the second option, but was quickly kicked out of the sessions after he was unable to refrain from soliciting sex from the women in the program.
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| Drawing made by an infant rape victim. |
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| Drawing made by an infant rape victim. |
Health problems.
The night before his prison sentence was handed down, the man went to the hospital complaining of a severe headache and saying he feared raping his landlady.
The patient’s medical history included a closed head injury sustained 16 years earlier, associated with a 2-minute loss of consciousness and no apparent neurological sequelae, a 2-year history of migraines, and hypertension. He had no history of psychiatric or developmental disorders, nor had he previously exhibited deviant sexual behavior, and there was no family history of psychiatric illness.
After being admitted for psychiatric care, he complained of balance problems and an MRI revealed that he had a brain tumor the size of an egg. Further tests determined that the man was also unable to write or copy drawings and was not concerned about urinating on himself. During a neurological examination, he solicited sexual favors from female members of the team.
The cancer was located in the right lobe of the orbifrontal cortex, which is known to be related to judgment, impulse control and social behavior.
Immediately, the man underwent surgery to remove the tumor.
Reality.
Seven months after the tumor was removed, and after successfully completing the Sexaholics Anonymous program, the man returned home. However, in October 2001 he complained of headaches and resumed secretly collecting pornography. After a new MRI revealed that the tumor had grown back.
Quickly, the tumor was removed and the behavior disappeared again, leaving our protagonist fully recovered.
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| Illustrative image of a similar tumor. |
Medical positions.
According to neurologists Russell Swerdlow and Jeffrey Burns, from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, USA, this is the first reported case linking damage in the right lobe region of the orbifrontal cortex to pedophilia.
"It's about the neurology of morality," Swerdlow says. Because the area doesn't affect physical health, "it's one of those areas where a lot of damage can be done and a doctor would never suspect anything was wrong," he says.
"He wasn't faking it", Burns says. "But if someone argues that every pedophile needs an MRI, the difference in this case was that the patient had a normal history before acquiring the problem. Most pedophiles develop problems at an early age".
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| Russell Swerdlow and Jeffrey Burns. |
Guideline for the future.
Swerdlow suggests that physicians who see personality changes along with an inability to write or copy pictures should now consider brain disease as a possible cause.
Behavioral neurologist David Rosenfield, of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, added:
"You have an interesting patient. I would wonder if the tumor caused hormonal changes."
Rosenfield believes that further research should investigate whether other problems of the orbifrontal cortex may be related to pedophilia.
Burns and Swerdlow presented their findings in New York at the annual meeting of the American Neurological Association.
