The neurobiology of aggressive behaviour

Neurobiological research on aggressive behaviour comes up against particular difficulties that stem from the multifactorial origin of any social behaviour and from the fact that it evolves over time under the shaping influence of experience. From a historical point of view, the conceptual framework progressively switched from a deterministic causality based on the spatial distribution of a specifically-related 'neural substrate' to a probabilistic causality taking into account all the multiple contextual and developmental determinants with their underlying brain processes and mechanisms. With regard to ethical issues, the role and the weight ascribed to biological determinants in the generation of aggressive behaviour greatly influence the way in which one plans to fight against such behaviour.