Practice Opening 1:

Amygdala damage, which is caused by traumatic brain injuries or mental illness, is frequently found in the brain of a serial killer and is responsible for violent behavior. Damage to the amygdala is often found in those who also suffer from neuropsychological conditions like ADHD, schizophrenia or PTSD. The amygdala is responsible for processing emotions such as fear, anger, and empathy. With damage, the amygdala is no longer able to create a distinction between these emotions and in return the host lacks emotion. The lack of empathy or the increase of violence caused by damage to the amygdala becomes dangerous and even deadly when mixed with mental disorders or environmental factors like abuse and trauma.

Practice Opening 2:

Serial killers, who experience a compulsion to kill, are not able to exhibit free will. The term compulsion has been coined by serial killers around the world when they are questioned on the reason for committing their gruesome crimes. Compulsion, controlled by the frontal lobe, generates a feeling of relief once the obsessive behavior is performed. Even if he doesn’t want to claim a new victim, a feeling of needing to continues until his next target is locked in. Many serial killers try to exert free will by retreating into a dormant period where he could go a certain amount of time without killing anyone. But despite his own conscious wishes, a serial killer loses his free will and claims another victim. This is due to the feeling of compulsion “pulling” and “nagging” until the crime is committed and a feeling of gratification takes over. The gratification doesn’t last long before the compulsion returns and the cycle starts all over again.