Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation for the Modulation of Aggressive Behavior—A Systematic Review of Randomized Sham-Controlled Studies

Abstract

Intro: Aggressive behavior represents a significant public health issue, with relevant social, political, and security implications. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques may modulate aggressive behavior through stimulation of the prefrontal cortex. Aims: To review research on the effectiveness of NIBS to alter aggression, discuss the main findings and potential limitations, consider the specifics of the techniques and protocols employed, and discuss clinical implications. Methods: A systematic review of the literature available in the PubMed database was carried out, and 17 randomized sham-controlled studies investigating the effectiveness of NIBS techniques on aggression were included. Exclusion criteria included reviews, meta-analyses, and articles not referring to the subject of interest or not addressing cognitive and emotional modulation aims. Conclusions: The reviewed data provide promising evidence for the beneficial effects of tDCS, conventional rTMS, and cTBS on aggression in healthy adults, forensic, and clinical samples. The specific stimulation target is a key factor for the success of stimulation on aggression modulation. rTMS and cTBS showed opposite effects on aggression compared with tDCS. However, due to the heterogeneity of stimulation protocols, experimental designs, and samples, we cannot exclude other factors that may play a confounding role.