Although psychopathy is considered a mostly mysterious condition within people, there have been some advances in medical science that suggest people with a certain gene are vulnerable to the condition.

According to an EMBO report on the research, the National Institute of Health states that new evidence within the study suggests that a certain gene is inherent to people with psychopathic behavior.

To be specific, the gene is called the monoamine oxidase A, or MAOA in short. Although the findings for this gene and what it represents are controversial, the research still suggests that its function plays a role in the behavior of people afflicted with psychopathy.

The variant of the gene is the MAOA-L, and people that possess this gene experience a varying degree of chemical breakdown that affects the brain. The protein that breaks down chemicals affecting the brain are produced in less quantity, which results in a reduced breakdown of chemicals that reportedly dictate behavior in people when they reach the brain.

People afflicted with this tend to act impulsively and have lifestyle-inhibiting traits such as mood swings, hypersexuality and sleep disorders. This leads to impulsive behaviors and violent tendencies inherent to psychopaths.

According to Business Insider, a neuroscientist at UC Irvine School of Medicine named James Fallon was studying the brains of people that had committed atrocious acts of murder when he stumbled upon a revelation of his own. When studying and comparing their brain scans to his own scans, he noted the remarkable similarities. He also has the MAOA-L gene, which essentially means that he may indeed have the potential to be a psychopath.

What has always been inherent to psychopaths is their lack of empathy, but not understanding. They have the ability to understand when other people are in pain or emotional distress, but there is nothing within them that makes them want to help.

Fallon said he could relate to that feeling.

"I don't get the interpersonal warm and fuzzies," Fallon told Business Insider.