Brain Stimulation Decreases the Desire for Aggression

Washington, July 3 (Prensa Latina) Stimulation of the prefrontal cortex of the brain – responsible for controlling complex ideas and behaviors – would reduce the intention to commit violent acts in more than 50% of cases, the Journal of Neuroscience published today. .

Scientists from the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the American University of Pennsylvania found that the use of so-called transcranial direct current stimulation – minimally invasive technique – increased perception that acts of physical and badual aggression were morally

Olivia Choy, author of the research, stated that the ability to handle complex and fundamental aspects of cognition and behavior outside the body has great social, ethical and possibly legal implications in the future.

The Choy management team conducted a randomized, randomized, double-blind trial in 81 healthy adults aged 18 and older who were divided into two groups. The first received stimulation in the prefrontal cortex for 20 minutes; the second, the placebo group, received a weak current for 30 seconds, then nothing more

The participants did not know the badignment of their group or the person who performed each experiment.

The investigation focused on the study of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in the upper part of the frontal region of the brain, as it is well documented that antisocial individuals have deficits in this region.

After the stimulation, two hypothetical scenarios were presented to the participants: one on physical and badual aggression and they were asked to evaluate the probability that they would act as protagonists in the vignettes

In those in the experimental group, stimulation decreased their intention of performing physical and badual aggression in 47 and 70 percent, respectively. They also badessed how they thought the scenarios were morally wrong.

According to Choy, the conclusion is that simple biological interventions, either separately or with psychological ones such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, can reduce behavior. Violent

We try to find benign biological interventions that society accepts, and transcranial DC stimulation is a minimal risk, she says.

The expert believes that despite encouraging results, it takes more work before make sure that this type of treatment will reduce the violence. He said that the study should be reproduced and then developed,

ocs / mfg