Individual Differences in Alcohol-Induced Aggression: A Nonhuman-Primate Model

Some people are more likely than others to become aggressive after consuming alcohol. Researchers studying alcohol use and aggression hope to identify individual differences in behavior and biochemistry that exist among subjects who become aggressive following alcohol consumption. Research with nonhuman primates has shown that individual differences in brain chemistry predict impulsivity, aggression, and alcohol-induced aggression. These differences appear to be associated with early rearing experiences and remain stable throughout the individual’s life.