Neurobiology of Aggression—Review of Recent Findings and Relationship with Alcohol and Trauma

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Aggression can be viewed as any form of behavior, such as physical or verbal, that is intended to cause harm or injury to another living being. This form of behavior has seen its prevalence increase over the past few decades, affecting individuals of all ages and accounting for more than 1.3 million deaths worldwide. As such, the scientific community invested a lot of effort into better understanding its risk factors and mechanisms. Over the past few years, several studies have been conducted in animals and humans for this purpose, with the overall consensus that aggression can be precipitated by several risk factors, including biological and environmental. There is also evidence showing that aggression is linked with alcohol consumption and trauma exposure. However, despite significant progress in research, the mechanisms through which these factors lead to aggressive behaviors are poorly understood. This review provides the current state of knowledge regarding the neurobiology of aggression and highlights recent evidence discussing its relationship with alcohol and trauma. ABSTRACT: Aggression can be conceptualized as any behavior, physical or verbal, that involves attacking another person or animal with the intent of causing harm, pain or injury. Because of its high prevalence worldwide, aggression has remained a central clinical and public safety issue. Aggression can be caused by several risk factors, including biological and psychological, such as genetics and mental health disorders, and socioeconomic such as education, employment, financial status, and neighborhood. Research over the past few decades has also proposed a link between alcohol consumption and aggressive behaviors. Alcohol consumption can escalate aggressive behavior in humans, often leading to domestic violence or serious crimes. Converging lines of evidence have also shown that trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could have a tremendous impact on behavior associated with both alcohol use problems and violence. However, although the link between trauma, alcohol, and aggression is well documented, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms and their impact on behavior have not been properly discussed. This article provides an overview of recent advances in understanding the translational neurobiological basis of aggression and its intricate links to alcoholism and trauma, focusing on behavior. It does so by shedding light from several perspectives, including in vivo imaging, genes, receptors, and neurotransmitters and their influence on human and animal behavior.