The Brain and Violence: An Unhealthy Combination :: Biology Essays Research Papers

The Brain and Violence An Unhealthy Combination prick was walking down the street enjoying a snack he had undecomposed bought at a convenience store. Feeling good, he smiled at the antic coming toward him while continuing to eat. The opposedr suddenly pulled out a knife and began stabbing Jack. Bystanders pulled the knife away, but too late.After the killing, the assaulter said that he was deeply sorry. He had sensed a strange aura, then experienced a flashback of having been bitten and of having a hernia operation under local anesthesia. That was followed by hallucinations about Jack cutting off his flesh, testicles, and aggregate to eat them (6).Everyday on the news one hears stories of crimes and murders such as the one above. Murders are committed every(prenominal) day stores are robbed every hour crimes are committed constantly. The truth is that abandon has sadly deform a common and prevalent occurrence in society today. In essence, one must ask himself whether or not these violent tendencies keep any biological relation whatsoever. Is force play caused by disruptions or change to the fountainhead? Is there a genetic correlation? Or is violence brought about by something else, such as economic difficulties or social or cultural differences? And one must ask himself an even broader question-whether a cause for violence even exists.In 1848, a railroad worker, Phineas Gage, was workings when an explosion caused an iron rod to impale his skull, damaging the front give away of his brain. Although Gage miraculously survived, his behavior severely changed in that the intelligent and deferential man everyone knew suddenly because fitful, impulsive, and rude (2). This case is one of the first indications that violence may be related to some kind of damage or abnormality in the brain. Researchers have found correlations between violent and pugnacious tendencies to damage or abnormalities to a specific part of the brain. Gages accident in all prob ability resulted in damage to the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is the brains foremost outermost position, located behind the eyes. This area of the brain is especially important because of its splendour in the orchestration of emotion, arousal, and attention. The prefrontal cortex seems to be the part of the brain that enables people to restrain themselves from acting on all of their impulses and is extremely critical for a childs ability to learn to feel remorse, conscience, and social sensitivity (5).However, although the draw of the prefrontal cortex is known, why, or how, would prefrontal deficits cause violent tendencies or a more aggressive character?