Editor's introduction to the special Issue on “The Neurobiology of Aggressive and Violent Behavior”

Abstract

While recen years have witnessed an exponential growth in new empirical studies on the neurobiology of aggression and violence, there is an urgent need for comprehensive and critical syntheses of this burgeoning body of research. This special edition aims to meet that need with high-quality reviews on the biological basis of violence. Areas covered included genetics, neurochemistry, neurocognition, brain imaging, psychophysiology, and clinical issues. By incorporating neurobiological advances into current psychosocial knowledge and developing transactional models of the development of aggression, there is a genuine interdisciplinary opportunity to provide a transformative change to the landscape of violence prevention.