CBD Can Reduce Aggression in Dogs

Summary: A massive multi-year analysis of tens of thousands of dogs reveals that CBD use is becoming increasingly common among aging companion animals. While dogs given CBD initially showed higher…

What Triggers Tantrums? Sensory Overload May Be To Blame

Summary: New research reveals a distinct brain activity signature in children who become overwhelmed by sensory input such as noise, touch, or bright lights. Using functional MRI, scientists found that…

Early Trauma Hardwires the Brain for Aggression and Self-Harm

Summary: A new study reveals that aggression and self-harm share a biological foundation in the brain’s response to early-life trauma. Researchers discovered that trauma increases activity in calcium channels within…

Motherhood Flips Brain Switch That Triggers Aggression

Summary: Researchers discovered that female mice gain access to aggression after giving birth through a brain circuit usually dormant in non-pregnant females. The same neurons drive aggression in males but…

Aggression Is Contagious: Observing Violence Primes the Brain for Aggression

Summary: A new study shows that observing violence can make individuals more likely to act aggressively later, but the effect depends on familiarity. Male mice who watched familiar peers attack…

Murder-Suicide Rates in U.S. Higher Than Previously Estimated

Key Questions Answered Q: How common are murder-suicide events in the U.S.?A: The study found an average of 820 deaths per year from murder-suicide events—higher than previous estimates. Q: Who…

Oxytocin May Treat the Social Deficits of Psychopathy

Key Questions Answered Q: How does psychopathy affect emotion recognition?A: Individuals with psychopathic traits—especially those high in Factor 1—struggle to recognize negative facial expressions like fear and sadness, often showing…

Childhood Trauma May Rewire Brain for Lifelong Aggression

Key Questions Answered: Q: What brain region is being studied to understand aggression?A: Researchers are focusing on the thalamic nucleus reuniens, which connects memory, emotion, and decision-making areas of the…

What Drives Women to Kill? Emotion & Threat, Not Psychopathy

Summary: Women who commit lethal violence rarely display psychopathy, instead acting out of provocation and perceived threats. A 15-year Swedish study of 175 cases found that about half of the…

Toxoplasma Parasite Influences Personality and Aggression

Summary: New research highlights how parasitic infections can alter brain chemistry and behavior in humans. Toxoplasma gondii, among others, appears to manipulate dopamine and immune responses, increasing risk-taking, impulsivity, and…