ALCOHOL AGGRESSION LINK DECODED
The research results are largely consistent with a growing body of research about the neural basis of aggression, and how it is triggered by changes in the way that the prefrontal cortex of the brain function
The participants were either given two drinks containing vodka, or placebo drinks without any alcohol. The FMRI allowed the researchers to see which areas of the brain were triggered. They could also compare the difference in scans between participants who had consumed alcohol and those who had not. Being provoked was found to have no influence on participants' neural responses. However, when behaving aggressively, there was a dip in activity in the prefrontal cortex of the brains of those who had consumed alcoholic drinks. This dampening effect was also seen in the areas of the brain that are involved reward, according to the study published in the journal Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral Neuroscience