Neurobiology of Aggression / Contemporary Neuroscience (PDF)

Excessive human aggression has become a major social problem worldwide, presumably because of its deep roots in the neuronal circuits and neurochemical pathways of the human brain. In Neurobiology of Aggression: Understanding and Preventing Violence, leading researchers and physicians review the cellular and molecular basis of aggression and show how the nerve cell circuitry and the neurochemistry that mediate aggressive behavior are modified by various environmental and genetic factors. The authors consider in detail the nerve cell circuits of the brain that control aggressive behaviors, focusing on their links to cognition and the neurotransmitter pathways that either promote or suppress violent behavior. They also examine how family environment, early life experiences, exposure to violent video games and movies, religion, and substance abuse affect violent behaviors, including participation in gangs and terrorist organizations. Various behavioral and pharmacological approaches are presented for preventing and treating individual aggression.

Drawing on insights from neurobiology, neurochemistry, genetics, behavior science, and cultural studies, Neurobiology of Aggression: Understanding and Preventing Violence offers specialists and educated laymen a comprehensive yet concise science-based view of why people carry out violent acts against innocent victims and how an understanding of brain function can be used to limit further violence.