The “fight or flight” response is a mechanism in the body that enables humans and animals to mobilize a lot of energy rapidly in order to cope with threats to survival, reports the University of Texas Counseling and Mental Health Center.  Even though the fight or flight response is automatic, it is not always accurate about the existence of a threat.  The amygdala, which is the part of the brain the initiates the automatic part of the fight or flight response, is unable to distinguish between a real threat and a perceived threat.

Research shows that the manifestation of the response can vary between people.  At the Society for Neuroscience meeting in San Diego, researchers orally presented the findings of a study of the fight-or-flight mechanism in teenagers, reports MedPage Today.  The researchers found that teens were more likely to actively respond to aggressive cues than were children or adults.  In a go/no-go task, where aggressive faces were a target for “no go,” teens showed a higher propensity than adults or children to react (pressing a button) when presented with an aggressive face.

There were also sex differences in aggression.  Compared with females, males were also more likely to make a greater number of false alarm cues and showed greater activation of the orbitofrontal cortex, a region associated with confrontational behavior. Females showed greater activation in the medial prefrontal cortex, which is tied to avoidant behavior.  The study population included 18 children (ages 6 to 12), 19 teens (ages 13 to 17), and 20 adults (ages 18 to 27). In each age group, 10 participants were male. All participants were psychologically and neurologically healthy.

Though the study did not determine a cause for the difference in aggression, one of the researchers noted that a likely explanation for this difference in impulsivity by age is that teen brains are undergoing change during puberty, and that brain chemistry is in a state of flux.  Given that there is also an inflection in criminal behavior during adolescence, the findings of this study fit current trends and may explain the reason for those trends.

Other studies have found that aggression can be linked to soda consumption.  According to Medical News Today, a study in 3,000 five-year-old children found that any level of soft drink consumption was linked to higher levels of aggressive behavior, as well as more attention and withdrawal problems.  The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry identifies other causes of violent behavior, including exposure to violence, substance abuse, genetic factors, stress, and brain damage.