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International Journal of Molecular... Apr 2024Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive malignant primary central nervous system (CNS) tumor and, despite decades of research, it remains a lethal disease with a...
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive malignant primary central nervous system (CNS) tumor and, despite decades of research, it remains a lethal disease with a median overall survival of less than two years [...].
Topics: Humans; Glioblastoma; Aggression
PubMed: 38612900
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25074090 -
Current Opinion in Psychiatry May 2023Social Contagion is defined as the spread of behaviors, attitudes, and affect through crowds and other types of social aggregates from one member to another. Adolescents... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Social Contagion is defined as the spread of behaviors, attitudes, and affect through crowds and other types of social aggregates from one member to another. Adolescents are prone to social contagion because they may be especially susceptible to peer influence and social media.In this article, we provide a brief review of the most recent findings on social contagion, violence, and suicide among adolescents.
RECENT FINDINGS
Recent evidence support social contagion in gun violence, bullying, cyberbullying, violent offending, and suicide, but is inconclusive on the role of violent video game exposure on aggressive behavior.
SUMMARY
The mechanisms underlying the contagion effect of violence and suicide are currently unclear. It has been argued that social learning, identification with significant others, and the normalization of specific norms play a role. All these mechanisms require understanding social contagion as a complex interaction between individual, relational and social factors. This is key if the social contagion perspective is to be used not only to investigate negative outcomes, but also as a framework for promoting prosocial attitudes and behaviors. Additionally, more research is needed on psychosocial interventions and public policies to minimize the potential spillover effect of violence and suicide.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Violence; Suicide; Aggression; Bullying; Adolescent Behavior
PubMed: 36762666
DOI: 10.1097/YCO.0000000000000858 -
PeerJ 2022Aggressive interactions help individuals to gain access to and defend resources, but they can be costly, leading to increased predation risk, injury, or death. Signals... (Review)
Review
Aggressive interactions help individuals to gain access to and defend resources, but they can be costly, leading to increased predation risk, injury, or death. Signals involving sounds and color can allow birds to avoid the costs of intraspecific aggressive encounters, but we know less about agonistic signaling between species, where fights can be frequent and just as costly. Here, we review photographic and video evidence of aggressive interactions among species of birds ( = 337 interactions documenting the aggressive signals of 164 different bird species from 120 genera, 50 families, and 24 orders) to document how individuals signal in aggressive encounters among species, and explore whether these visual signals are similar to those used in aggressive encounters with conspecifics. Despite the diversity of birds examined, most aggressively signaling birds displayed weapons (bills, talons, wings) used in fighting and placed these weapons closest to their heterospecific opponent when signaling. Most species oriented their bodies and heads forward with their bills pointing towards their heterospecific opponent, often highlighting their face, throat, mouth, and bill. Many birds also opened their wings and/or tails, increasing their apparent size in displays, consistent with the importance of body size in determining behavioral dominance among species. Aggressive postures were often similar across species and taxonomic families. Exceptions included Accipitridae and Falconidae, which often highlighted their talons in the air, Columbidae, which often highlighted their underwings from the side, and Trochilidae, which often hovered upright in the air and pointed their fanned tail downward. Most species highlighted bright carotenoid-based colors in their signals, but highlighted colors varied across species and often involved multiple colors in combination (., black, white, and carotenoid-based colors). Finally, birds tended to use the same visual signals in aggressive encounters with heterospecifics that they use in aggressive encounters with conspecifics, suggesting that selection from aggressive interactions may act on the same signaling traits regardless of competitor identity.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Aggression; Phenotype; Columbidae; Carotenoids
PubMed: 35722268
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13431 -
Social Neuroscience Aug 2022Aggression occurs frequently and severely between rival groups. Although there has been much study into the psychological and socio-ecological determinants of intergroup...
Aggression occurs frequently and severely between rival groups. Although there has been much study into the psychological and socio-ecological determinants of intergroup aggression, the neuroscience of this phenomenon remains incomplete. To examine the neural correlates of aggression directed at outgroup (versus ingroup) targets, we recruited 35 healthy young male participants who were current or former students of the same university. While undergoing functional MRI, participants completed an aggression task against both an ingroup and an outgroup opponent in which their opponents repeatedly provoked them at varying levels and then participants could retaliate. Participants were then socially included and then excluded by two outgroup members and then completed the same aggression task against the same two opponents. Both before and after outgroup exclusion, aggression toward outgroup members was positively associated with activity in the ventral striatum during decisions about how aggressive to be toward their outgroup opponent. Aggression toward outgroup members was also linked to greater post-exclusion activity in the rostral and dorsal medial prefrontal cortex during provocation from their outgroup opponent. These altered patterns of brain activity suggest that frontostriatal mechanisms may play a significant role in motivating aggression toward outgroup members.
Topics: Aggression; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Prefrontal Cortex; Ventral Striatum
PubMed: 35658812
DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2022.2086617 -
The Western Journal of Emergency... Jul 2020Managing agitation in the clinical setting is a challenge that many practitioners face regularly. Our evolving understanding of the etiological factors involved in... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Managing agitation in the clinical setting is a challenge that many practitioners face regularly. Our evolving understanding of the etiological factors involved in aggressive acts has better informed our interventions through pharmacologic and behavioral strategies. This paper reviews the literature on the neurobiological underpinnings of aggressive behaviors, linking psychopathology with proposed mechanisms of action of psychiatric medications shown to be effective in mitigating agitation.
METHODS
We performed a review of the extant literature using PubMed as a primary database. Investigation focused on neurobiology of agitation and its relation to the current evidence base for particular interventions.
RESULTS
There are well-established pathways that can lead to increased autonomic response and the potential for violence. Psychopathology and substance-induced perceptual distortions may lead to magnification and overestimation of environmental threat, heightening the potential for aggression. Additional challenges have arisen with the advent of several novel drugs of abuse, many of which lead to atypical clinical presentations and which can elude standard drug screens. Our interventions still lean on the evidence base found in Project BETA (Best Practices in Evaluation and Treatment of Agitation). Although not a new drug and not included in the Project BETA guidelines, ketamine and its use are also discussed, given its unique pharmacology and potential benefits when other protocoled interventions have failed.
CONCLUSION
Aggression can occur due to manifold reasons in the clinical setting. Having an informed understanding of the possible determinants of agitation can help with more tailored responses to individual patients, limiting the unnecessary use of medications or of interventions that could be deemed forceful.
Topics: Aggression; Humans; Psychomotor Agitation; Psychotropic Drugs
PubMed: 32726254
DOI: 10.5811/westjem.2020.4.45779 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews May 2022Scholars have established subcategories of aggressive behavior in order to better understand this construct. Specifically, a classification based on motivational... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Scholars have established subcategories of aggressive behavior in order to better understand this construct. Specifically, a classification based on motivational underpinnings makes it possible to differentiate between reactive and proactive aggression. Whereas reactive aggression is characterized by emotional lability, which means it is prone to impulsive reactions after provocation, proactive aggression is driven by low emotionality and high levels of instrumentality to obtain benefits. Some authors have conceived these two types as having a dichotomous nature, but others argue against this conceptualization, considering a complementary model more suitable. Hence, neuroscientific research might help to clarify discussions about their nature because biological markers do not present the same biases as psychological instruments.
AIM
The main objective of this study was to carry out a systematic review of studies that assess underlying biological markers (e.g., genes, brain, psychophysiological, and hormonal) of reactive and proactive aggression.
METHODS
To carry out this review, we followed PRISMA quality criteria for reviews, using five digital databases complemented by hand-searching.
RESULTS
The reading of 3993 abstracts led to the final inclusion of 157 papers that met all the inclusion criteria. The studies included allow us to conclude that heritability accounted for approximately 45% of the explained variance in both types of aggression, with 60% shared by both, especially, for overt and physical expression forms, and 10% specific to each type. Regarding allelic risk factors, whereas low functioning variants affecting serotonin transport and monoaminoxidase increased the risk of reactive aggression, high functioning variants were associated with proactive aggression. Furthermore, brain analysis revealed an overlap between the two types of aggression and alterations in the volume of the amygdala and temporal cortex. Moreover, high activation of the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) facilitated proneness to both types of aggression equally. Whereas stimulation of the right ventrolateral (VLPFC) and dorsolateral (DLPFC) reduced proneness to aggression, inhibition of the left DLPFC increased it. Finally, psychophysiological and hormonal correlates in general did not clearly differentiate between the two types because they were equally related to each type (e.g., low basal cortisol and vagal variability in response to acute stress) CONCLUSIONS: This study reinforces the complementary model of both types of aggression instead of a dichotomous model. Additionally, this review also offers background about several treatments (i.e., pharmacological, non-invasive brain techniques…) to reduce aggression proneness.
Topics: Aggression; Brain; Humans; Impulsive Behavior
PubMed: 35331815
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104626 -
Personality Disorders May 2023Despite research indicating that exerting dominance and control is characteristic of psychopathy, no research has examined the role that feelings of and desire for power... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Despite research indicating that exerting dominance and control is characteristic of psychopathy, no research has examined the role that feelings of and desire for power plays in psychopathy-related aggression. Borrowing from various literatures and novel conceptualizations, we investigated the contributions of feeling powerful and/or desiring power and distinct psychopathy facets in explaining aggression manifested in different forms (i.e., physical, verbal, indirect) across 4 samples. Results from regression analyses within each sample and a meta-analysis across the samples indicated that the impulsive facet of psychopathy was generally related to multiple forms of aggression, and the unique variance in the affective facet was primarily related to physical aggression across samples. In contrast, the unique variance of the interpersonal facet showed a primary relationship with indirect aggression (e.g., relational, passive). Desiring power made unique contributions in relation to multiple forms of aggression, whereas feeling powerful was generally unrelated and/or negatively related to aggression. In sum, the unique variance in the psychopathy facets showed fairly specialized relationships with forms of aggression, and desire for power may be an independent explanatory construct for multiple forms of aggression proneness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
Topics: Humans; Aggression; Emotions; Impulsive Behavior; Antisocial Personality Disorder
PubMed: 35357882
DOI: 10.1037/per0000562 -
Child Development Sep 2019To test specific hypotheses about the relation between hostile intent attribution (HIA) and children's aggressive behavior, a multilevel meta-analysis was conducted on... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
To test specific hypotheses about the relation between hostile intent attribution (HIA) and children's aggressive behavior, a multilevel meta-analysis was conducted on 111 studies with 219 effect sizes and 29.272 participants. A positive association between HIA and aggression was found, but effect sizes varied widely between studies. Results suggested that HIA is a general disposition guiding behavior across a broad variety of contexts, whereas the strength of the relation between HIA and aggression depends on the level of emotional engagement. The relation is stronger for more reliable HIA measures, but is not stronger for reactive aggression or co-morbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder than for aggression in general. The importance of understanding specific moderators of effect size for theory development is discussed.
Topics: Aggression; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Child; Female; Hostility; Humans; Intention; Male; Social Perception
PubMed: 31165477
DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13255 -
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Dec 2021The importance of psychopathy in the forensic and criminal justice domains is largely due to its robust associations with aggression and violent behavior. Hence,...
The importance of psychopathy in the forensic and criminal justice domains is largely due to its robust associations with aggression and violent behavior. Hence, investigators have increasingly been interested in elucidating potential mechanisms linking psychopathy and aggression. Recent research highlighted previously overlooked associations between psychopathy and difficulties in emotion regulation, the process responsible for monitoring, evaluating, and managing one's emotional experience, as well as for guiding behavior under intense emotional arousal. Yet, it remains unclear whether emotion dysregulation may be helpful to explain well-documented associations between psychopathy and aggression. The present study examined whether emotion dysregulation mediated associations (i.e., explained a significant portion of the shared variance) between psychopathy and aggression across community ( = 521) and offender ( = 268) samples. Participants completed self-report measures of psychopathy, emotion dysregulation, trait aggressiveness (i.e., anger, hostility, physical and verbal aggression), as well as reactive and proactive aggression. Across both samples, psychopathy had significant indirect effect on all indices of aggression through emotion dysregulation, with the exception of verbal aggression. These findings support the relevance of emotion regulation for the construct of psychopathy and its maladaptive correlates and highlight the potential relevance of focusing on emotion regulation as a possible target for interventions aimed at reducing aggression among individuals with psychopathic traits.
Topics: Aggression; Anger; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Criminals; Emotions; Humans
PubMed: 31984830
DOI: 10.1177/0886260519900946 -
BMC Pediatrics Dec 2022Despite a large body of research has shown that smartphone addiction (SA) is associated with aggressive behaviors, only a few mediators have been previously examined in...
BACKGROUND
Despite a large body of research has shown that smartphone addiction (SA) is associated with aggressive behaviors, only a few mediators have been previously examined in this relationship among early adolescent students. No previous studies have explored, to our knowledge, the indirect role of cognitive function despite its great importance during this life period. This study is intended to verify whether cognitive function have indirect effects on the relationship between SA and aggression among high-school students in the context of Lebanese culture.
METHODS
This was a cross-sectional designed study, conducted between January and May 2022, and enrolling 379 Lebanese adolescent students (aged 13-17 years). The Cognitive Functioning Self-Assessment Scale, the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire-Short Form, and the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short form were used.
RESULTS
The bivariate analysis results revealed that higher SA and worse cognitive function were significantly associated with more physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger and hostility. The mediation analyses found that cognitive function mediated the association between SA and physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger and hostility. Higher SA was significantly associated with worse cognitive function and more physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger and hostility. Finally, worse cognitive function was significantly associated with more physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger and hostility.
CONCLUSION
Our findings cautiously suggest that, to reduce adolescent students' aggression, interventions that promote cognitive performance may be effective. Particularly, students who are addicted to smartphones and show aggressive tendencies require interventions designed to improve cognition function.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Cross-Sectional Studies; Internet Addiction Disorder; Aggression; Hostility; Cognition; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 36572845
DOI: 10.1186/s12887-022-03808-y