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Helia Hajihassani1 
, Parmis Barazesh1 , Nastaran Dadashi1 , Bita Amiri Havazeh1 , Mohammad Sadegh Fallahi2 , Romina Hajihassani3 , Aryana Avaei4 , Amir Ghaffari Jolfayi5 , Maedeh Jorfi1 , Mobina Salehi1 , Mohammadreza Bigdeli *1
, Parmis Barazesh1 , Nastaran Dadashi1 , Bita Amiri Havazeh1 , Mohammad Sadegh Fallahi2 , Romina Hajihassani3 , Aryana Avaei4 , Amir Ghaffari Jolfayi5 , Maedeh Jorfi1 , Mobina Salehi1 , Mohammadreza Bigdeli *1
1- Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
2- Department of Neurosurgery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
3- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
4- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK.
5- Student Research Committee, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
2- Department of Neurosurgery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
3- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
4- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK.
5- Student Research Committee, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:
Background: Personality traits associated with aggression and impulsivity have been consistently linked to externalizing behaviors and underlying neural differences. EEG and fMRI studies suggest that these traits are associated with altered activity and connectivity in emotion- and control-related brain networks. However, existing findings are heterogeneous across methods, tasks, and populations, limiting direct comparability.
Methodology: This paper presents a structured review of EEG and fMRI studies published between 2020 and 2026 that examine the neural correlates of aggressive personality traits. Literature was identified through targeted searches in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science using combinations of keywords related to aggression, personality traits, EEG, and fMRI. Studies were selected according to predefined inclusion criteria, including human neuroimaging studies focused on aggression-related personality traits, impulsivity, or externalizing behaviors. Eligible studies were grouped by imaging modality, experimental paradigm, population characteristics, and functional networks. The synthesis focuses on identifying convergent patterns across studies while distinguishing well-replicated findings from preliminary or inconsistent evidence
Results: Evidence across studies suggests that individuals with higher levels of aggressive traits show altered activity in prefrontal and limbic regions. EEG findings commonly report atypical frontal alpha asymmetry and alterations in the theta band, particularly in emotionally salient contexts. fMRI studies indicate disrupted functional connectivity within the amygdala–prefrontal circuitry and altered interactions across salience, default mode, and frontoparietal control networks. Despite these convergent patterns, variability in experimental paradigms, sample characteristics, and analytical approaches contributes to inconsistent findings across studies.
Conclusions: Aggression-related personality traits are associated with distributed neural alterations involving emotion regulation and cognitive control networks. While EEG and fMRI provide complementary insights into these mechanisms, current evidence is insufficient to establish robust clinical biomarkers. Future research should prioritize longitudinal designs, methodological standardization, and multimodal integration to improve interpretability and translational potential.
Methodology: This paper presents a structured review of EEG and fMRI studies published between 2020 and 2026 that examine the neural correlates of aggressive personality traits. Literature was identified through targeted searches in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science using combinations of keywords related to aggression, personality traits, EEG, and fMRI. Studies were selected according to predefined inclusion criteria, including human neuroimaging studies focused on aggression-related personality traits, impulsivity, or externalizing behaviors. Eligible studies were grouped by imaging modality, experimental paradigm, population characteristics, and functional networks. The synthesis focuses on identifying convergent patterns across studies while distinguishing well-replicated findings from preliminary or inconsistent evidence
Results: Evidence across studies suggests that individuals with higher levels of aggressive traits show altered activity in prefrontal and limbic regions. EEG findings commonly report atypical frontal alpha asymmetry and alterations in the theta band, particularly in emotionally salient contexts. fMRI studies indicate disrupted functional connectivity within the amygdala–prefrontal circuitry and altered interactions across salience, default mode, and frontoparietal control networks. Despite these convergent patterns, variability in experimental paradigms, sample characteristics, and analytical approaches contributes to inconsistent findings across studies.
Conclusions: Aggression-related personality traits are associated with distributed neural alterations involving emotion regulation and cognitive control networks. While EEG and fMRI provide complementary insights into these mechanisms, current evidence is insufficient to establish robust clinical biomarkers. Future research should prioritize longitudinal designs, methodological standardization, and multimodal integration to improve interpretability and translational potential.
Keywords: Aggression, Personality Traits, EEG, fMRI, Functional Connectivity, Emotion Regulation, Neuroimaging
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