Violence in our Brains, Neurochemistry, and in our Genes Humans are wired for violence and aggression. We know from the historical roadmap that violence has been found in nearly every-known human society. We know that violent, aggressive tendencies are embedded in our neural networks, neurochemistry, and genetic blueprint. There are many structures, transmitters, and modulators in the human brain that are associated with emotions such as anxiety, stress, aggression, and violence. None act alone and it is not possible to review all of them in this introduction. However, some of the more important have to do with our brain’s activation and wiring in our prefrontal cortex, including the orbital cortex, ventral medial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC), Dorsolateral Prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), Insula, Amygdala, and Limbic region. Neurochemicals that are important to consider are serotonin, testosterone, vasopressin, and oxytocin. Optimal functioning of the PFC is critical. Studies show that “criminal psychopaths have decreased activity in the frontal cortex and less coupling of the PFC to other brain regions (compared with nonpsychopathic criminals and noncriminal controls)” (Sapolsky, 2017, p. 54). In agreement, Dozier (2002, p.137) has found that a number of studies show that: “The more densely wired the orbitofrontal cortex, the more that hate and violence in males is suppressed. The orbitofrontal cortex – part of the massive human prefrontal cortex – is the area that gives us our capacity for empathyadvanced impulse control. When men and women live together and raise their children together in an equal setting, the men tend to activate this empathy center much more frequently as they interact with their wives and children. And this empathetic attitude towards other men tends to strongly influence their sons.” Citing the work of several studies, Sapolsky (2017, p. 76) reports that low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin are, “associated with elevated levels of human aggression, with end points ranging from psychological measures of hostility to overt violence.” Research further shows that when stress, difficult living conditions, and a harsh upbringing are combined,
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