TY - JOUR PY - 2022// TI - Modulating behavioural and self-reported aggression with non-invasive brain stimulation: a literature review JO - Brain sciences A1 - Knehans, Ruben A1 - Schuhmann, Teresa A1 - Roef, David A1 - Nelen, Hans A1 - à Campo, Joost M. L. G. A1 - Lobbestael, Jill SP - e200 EP - e200 VL - 12 IS - 2 N2 - Aggressive behaviour is at the basis of many harms in society, such as violent crime. The efforts to explain, study, and possibly reduce aggression span various disciplines, including neuroscience. The specific brain networks which are involved in the modulation of aggressive behaviour include cortical asymmetry and brain areas such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC), and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC). Recent non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) research suggests that both transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) can play a role in the modulation of aggressive behaviour by directly changing brain activity. In this review, we systematically explore and discuss 11 experimental studies that aimed to modulate aggressive behaviour or self-reported aggression using NIBS. Out of these 11 studies, nine significantly up- or downregulated aggression by using tDCS or cTBS targeting the DLPFC, VLPFC or VMPFC. The potential applications of these findings span both the clinical and the forensic psychological domains. However, the results are limited by the methodological heterogeneity in the aggression measures used across the studies, and by their generally small sample sizes. Future research should consider improving the localization and specificity of NIBS by employing neuro-navigational instruments and standardized scoring methods.
Language: en
LA - en SN - 2076-3425 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12020200 ID - ref1 ER -