This is not surprising in theory but still wonderfully encouraging that it can be shown in practice.  This type of science regarding the human brain's vulnerability to negative influence by the environment may help spread necessary concern about other detrimental but widespread forms of media.  I hope the researchers will follow this work through and turn it to other, related topics of concern.

This research sheds light on many of the questions that have been asked since the shootings at Columbine.Could this research be eventually used by defense attorneys to defend criminals who have committed a violent act on the grounds that too many horror films made them lose control?

I wonder whether in future studies it would be possible to have a control group that did not view the violent film scenes, and then follow both groups over time to determine whether one had more incidents of criminal prosecutions.

In any case, this research is truly amazing, and I look forward to reading more on the subject.

This research has profound implications for our understanding of the link between the brain and behavior and for a modern society inundated in violent images.  The notion that our education, the images and ideas we are exposed to, affects our temperament dates back to 400 B.C.  Socrates, in Plato's Republic, argues that it is necessary to control what material the youth are exposed to.  I would be interested to know the brain changes that occur in children when they are exposed to violent images, such as in video games and movies, and how they differ from those seen in the adult brain.  

An interesting concept.  I would be curious to see what would happen if these investigators repeated the same study with a group of teenagers or pre-teens.  We know at this point that the human brain largely finishes developing by the late teens/early twenties, so the changes these authors found might have been dampened by their use of less plastic brains.  I bet younger subjects would show even more dramatic responses to violent clips, and maybe even show changes in other parts of the brain.

I think this article is fascinating.  One thing it made me wonder, though I guess it isn't that relevant to the main point, is whether the right lateral orbitofrontal cortex that seems to dampen aggression always exists on the right side.  I wonder if left-handed people have it on the left side!

Great article Sharon. I don't usually comment, but this is especially interesting because I recall reading two other pertinent things this week:

1) there was a big study last week showing just how pervasive violence has become, and that the link between TV violence and real violence was as strong as that between cigarettes and smoking (!)

2) according to a report released today more kids than ever are buying extremely violent video games.

It's interesting that this study describes how all of this might be working in the brain. I guess no more 24 for me.