Bad behavior Inhibitory Children Brain

The growth of a child's brain can be seen from the behavior. Teenagers who behave badly have hampered growth in brain regions associated with emotion, especially fear and the ability to feel the suffering of others.

Their anti-social behavior can occur because the biological basis and could potentially open the way for new treatments.

The study led by University of Cambridge to try to explain why 5% of school children suffer from behavioral disorders (conduct disorder), a psychiatric condition characterized by aggressiveness and anti-social. This research has been published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

The researchers studied 63 adolescent males with average age 18 years and have behavioral disorders. Some of them have problems at an early age and some showing antisocial behavior in adolescence.

They then compared with a group of adult men aged 27 years with a similar background.


Brain scans showed that the two regions appear significantly smaller in adolescents who suffer from behavioral disorders, including those who began to behave badly when they were teenagers.

Both these regions are the amygdala and insula, contribute to emotional perception, empathy, and ability to know when someone else is in a state of distress.

This condition can develop in children are still quite young, or teenagers. Those who develop it are at risk of mental problems, the use of illegal drugs, and criminal behavior is greater.

The study authors Ian Goodyer said, "We hope that our results will contribute to existing psychosocial strategies for detecting high-risk children in developing anti-social behavior."