The reason that serial killers have the irresistible urge to murder remains a mystery to most. Why does the thrill of the kill entice them? According to Healthline , it turns out that a large portion of their desire to take someone’s life stems from their brain chemistry. Combining abnormal brain processing, genetics, and traumatic childhoods creates the perfect recipe for a serial killer.
Most serial killers lack empathy, the ability to feel sorry for others, but can also appear as charismatic and sweet individuals. According to OUPblog, a common explanation for this may be that serial killers have “two minds that co-exist.” One part of their mind controls their homicidal tendencies and the lack of guilt while conducting horrific acts. The other part helps charm victims with socially acceptable behavior skills. For example, Ted Bundy, a notorious serial killer, found his victims by appearing as an attractive, charming young man all while murdering several women. According to Psychology Today, the cause could be a loss of function in the orbital cortex - a part of the brain actively involved in decision-making and morality.
That doesn’t mean that everyone who has a damaged orbital cortex turns into a serial killer. The element that differentiates them from a “normal person”: childhood abuse and/or neglect. While it may seem surprising, many serial killers can be described as insecure and have an intense fear of rejection. This fear usually originates during a disturbing childhood. A serial killer who had difficulty maintaining relationships as a child will avoid painful relationships as an adult. Therefore to escape rejection from a possible lover, a serial killer may kill her to eliminate the possibility of being hurt.
Finally, coupled with damage to the brain and treatment during adolescence, genetics can be identified as a cause. Jari Tiihonen, a professor at the Department of Clinical Neurobiology at the Karolinska Institute, found two distinctive genes that could play a substantial role in destructive behavior. The two genes, CDH13 and MAOA, can increase the risk of committing crimes by 13 times, according to Medium.
Serial killers may commit gut-wrenching crimes, but their insatiable need to kill can be blamed on many factors. The unholy trinity - brain inactivity, genetics, and issues during youth - all make a serial killer lose control and conquer another victim.
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