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The neurological bases of aggressive behavior

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Every day in the media there are scandalous cases of crimes, aggressions and excessive violence. Today we know that the environment in which a person grows and evolves and the same systems that make it up directly condition their development, but, And if we ask ourselves what happens at the neurological level so that a person develops more aggressive behaviors than another raised and educated in the same environment? In this article we answer this question

An aggressive person shows activity in certain areas of the brain

The hypothalamus, testosterone, and serotonin have starred for years in the main avenues of investigation in relation to aggression, but today different works have shown how the stimulation exerted on the amygdala activates aggressive emotional reactions in the subject, as well as their inhibition when acting on the prefrontal cortex.

At the ontological level, the maturation of the prefrontal cortex is subsequent to that of the amygdala, which leads the individual to acquire the appropriate competencies for the abstract reasoning, to make changes in the attentional focus or even to develop the ability to inhibit inappropriate responses, such as the control of aggression, among other

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The greater the volume of the prefrontal cortex, the less aggressive behaviors

As early as the late 1990s, it was suggested that greater activity in the amygdala led to greater negative behaviors, including greater aggressiveness, on the contrary, a decrease in the activity of the prefrontal cortex offered less capacity to exert control over their own emotions.

It was a study by Whittle et al. (2008) in adolescents, who finally concluded that the greater the volume of the prefrontal cortex, the less aggressive behaviors were perceived in boys and contrary to the case of the amygdala, a larger volume responded to offering more aggressive and reckless behaviors at the same time.

When Anthony Hopkins plays the character of Hannibal Lecter on The silence of the lambs, shows an unusual temperament for a murderer, far from conveying an impulsive and emotional personality stands out for having a profile, calculating, cold and extremely rational, which is beyond the explanation we are offering.

The white matter in the prefrontal cortex and its relationship with aggressiveness

So far we have seen how an increase in the activity of the amygdala and a decrease in the prefrontal cortex is ideal to describe a more impulsive personality, not very reflective and even with little capacity in the emotional management itself, but how can we explain the typical characteristics of Hannibal?

In 2005, Yang et al. found that a decrease in the white matter of the prefrontal cortex responded to a decrease in the cognitive resources themselves, both to persuade or manipulate other people, and to make decisions at specific times. Keeping the white matter intact would explain why Hannibal and other assassins with the same characteristics are able to control their behavior from such a masterful way, to make appropriate decisions in complex situations, always for their own benefit and to the point of getting around the authority.

Serotonin is key to understanding aggressive behavior

As we said at the beginning, serotonin also has a fundamental role in this matter, specifically, a decrease in his activity is directly related to the aggression and with the implementation of risk behaviors. In 2004, New et al. showed that treatment with SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) increased the activity of the prefrontal cortex, and at the end of the year the aggressive behaviors of the individuals.

In summary, we can highlight how an increase in serotonergic activity would increase the activity of the cortex prefrontal, which would cause the inhibition of the activity of the amygdala and consequently aggressive behaviors.

We are not slaves to our biology

Even knowing that the brain is not decisive in the modulation of aggression and these behaviors by itself, it is Thanks to the advances and the numerous studies carried out that we can explain its mechanism to what the neurological process is refers. Guido Frank, scientist and physicist at the University of California, points out that biology and behavior are susceptible to change and that, by combining a good therapy process and adequate individualized control, the progress of each individual can be modified.

Ultimately, as noted by neurologist Craig Ferris, from Northeastern University in Boston in the United States, we must bear in mind that "we are not completely slaves to our biology."

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