Violent offenders respond to provocations with high amygdala and striatal reactivity.

ABSTRACT: The ability to successfully suppress impulses and angry affect is fundamental to control aggressive reactions following provocations. The aim of this study was to examine neural responses to provocations and aggression using a laboratory model of reactive aggression. We used a novel functional magnetic resonance imaging point-subtraction aggression paradigm in 44 men, of whom 18 were incarcerated violent offenders and 26 were control non-offenders. We measured brain activation following provocations (monetary subtractions), while the subjects had the possibility to behave aggressively or pursue monetary rewards. The violent offenders behaved more aggressively than controls (aggression frequency 150 vs 84, P = 0.03) and showed significantly higher brain reactivity to provocations within the

SUBMITTER: da Cunha-Bang S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5460055 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature