Scientist to Examine Stephen Paddock's Brain For Clues to Mass Shooting Motive

After an initial examination revealed no abnormalities, Las Vegas officials are preparing to ship Stephen Paddock's brain to Stanford University in hopes of discovering possible neurological problems that might have played a role in the gunman's motive.

According to the New York Times, the months-long microscopic study will also attempt to determine if the 64-year-old had any health issues, "including strokes, blood vessel diseases, tumors, certain types of epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, degenerative disorders, physical trauma and infections."

Hannes Vogel, director of neuropathology at Stanford University Medical Center, told the outlet he would "leave no stone unturned" in his effort to paint a picture of Paddock's health as officials continue to search for a motive in the shooting.

The price of brain examinations, including microscopic views, can carry a price tag of roughly $500, Vogel informed the Times. This number includes both hospital and doctor fees; however, the use of special stains could cost prices to creep upward.

And even if a disease is found, many experts are saying it would be "false science" to assert that it caused Paddock to kill more than 50 people and injure nearly 500 others in Las Vegas.

"There's a difference between association and causality," Brian Peterson, president of the National Association of Medical Examiners and chief coroner of Wisconsin's Milwaukee County, told AP. "And just because you have anything, doesn't mean it does anything."

However, Paul Appelbaum, a psychiatry expert at Columbia University, told AP that despite the criticisms, Vogel's examination could "yield something even tangential that could be passed on to the public."

"Are we ever going to know for certain what caused his brain to do that?" Appelbaum posed. "Probably not from a neurological examination, but it's not unreasonable to ask and see whether it might contribute to our understanding of what occurred."

Still awaiting the arrival of the shooter's brain, the scientist informed the Times that his first steps would be to photograph any abnormalities and then proceed to examine interior brain structures.

"I think everybody is pretty doubtful that we're going to come up with something," Vogel told the Times. "The possibilities, neuropathologically, for explaining this kind of behavior are very few."

Paddock fired a hail of bullets at 22,000 concertgoers attending the Route 91 Harvest music festival on October 1. Authorities later determined the gunman was shooting from a 32nd floor room at the Mandalay Bay hotel before committing suicide.