Neurobiology of aggression and violence

Legal psychology has become interested in the neurobiology of agression and violence because in many cases criminal behaviour has violent components. The objective of this review is triple: to give a definition of both concepts; to show the different kinds of aggression (impulsive vs. instrumental) described in the scientific literature; and to analyse the neural structures that have been associated with aggression through lesion or neuroimaging studies. This review highlights mainly: a) subcortical structures such as hypothalamus and brain stem, where aggression is generated, and the amygdala, involved in processing emotionally salient stimuli; b) cortical structures such as the prefrontal cortex (which includes the orbitofrontal cortex, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex) which seem to be hypofunctional in the aggressive subjects. Finally, studies about the role of the neurotransmitter serotonin and its role in aggressive behavior are reviewed. (C) 2016 Colegio Oficial de Psicologos de Madrid. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U.