The neural architecture of human aggression - An fMRI investigation using items of the BRemen Aggression INventory (BRAIN)
Fehr, T.1,2, Roth, G.3, Herrmann, M.1,2, and Strüber, D.3,4
1Center for Cognitive Sciences, Department of Neuropsychology/Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Bremen; 2Center for Advanced Imaging, Universities of Bremen and Magdeburg; 3Brain Research Institute, University of Bremen; 4Department of General Psychology, Helmut-Schmidt-University/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg
To investigate the neuronal correlates of aggressive behaviour, we developed a new video stimulus inventory (BRAIN - BRemen Aggression INventory). In an fMRI study, data showed in both males and females activation patterns in post-central and inferior parietal regions during the processing of reactive aggressive situations, in which the spectator was virtually involved as he/she watched the scenario from a first person perspective. Males showed a relatively more anterior distribution of activations, especially in pre-motor frontal brain regions, suggesting an involvement of executive aspects as prototypical male-specific and aggression-related perception-action-cycles. This interpretation is further corroborated by bilateral brain stem activation in males possibly reflecting tendencies of attack behaviour. The present data suggest that basic neural network components related to aggressive behaviour might predominantly be located in archi-cortical structures, whereas the neural substrate of aggression-related action programs might be related to learning history and, therefore, located in predominantly neo-cortical organized networks.