Scientists studying the degree to which brain function, parental involvement and environment determine antisocial outbursts in children have found that social support and intervention can successfully moderate misbehavior.
Researchers at the University of Michigan studied the amygdala — the part of the brain that processes fear and impulsive reactions — for clues about extreme behavior in children. The amygdala is associated with aggressive behavior, anxiety disorders and depression. Once that region of the brain is stimulated, they found, some people become anxious and overreact to perceived threats.
According to the study, if the child is not getting help from others — family, neighbors or professionals — then the link between the amygdala and anxious behavior is stronger. The tendency to overreact can be altered by a child’s environment, and the same researchers found in another study that impulsive kids are at higher risk of engaging in antisocial behavior if they live in ‘dangerous’ neighborhoods.
Scientists at Michigan’s Institute for Social Research used neurogenetics, which combines genetics, neuroscience and psychology, to understand the propensity to extreme behavior. They drew a distinction between normal childhood misbehavior and serious behavioral issues that will persist.
