The world has a problem with violence. This is not a new problem and it is not going away any time soon. It is estimated that around 1.6 million people die each year due to violence. Half of these deaths are attributed to suicide, while the other half are attributed to homicides, wars, and other conflicts combined. Historically, violence was considered a social scourge. Before the 1970s, when genetic research began to gain momentum, most researchers believed that violence was caused by a number of social aspects. Even with our increased knowledge, some groups still view violence as a social evil. This is evident in the fact that there are groups like MAVAV, Mothers against Video Game Addiction and Violence, and Parents against Violence. These groups aim to reduce the amount of violence shown in video games and other media, in the hopes that this will reduce the rate of violence. Technological advances have allowed researchers to delve deeper into the causes of violent acts and tendencies. Although genetics cannot predict exactly who will have violent impulses, they play an important role in predisposing people to violent tendencies. Some of these causes are related to hormones, such as the amount of testosterone in adolescents. Others are linked to brain activity, mainly in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the orbitofrontal cortex. There is even some evidence that the MAOA enzyme may play a role in violent expression. Of course, not all causes are genetic. Although genetics can help determine who will be predisposed to violence, other factors come into play. The peer group one associates with, the environment one grows up in, and the family life one experiences. all play a role in determining whether the vi...... middle of paper ....... "Case Report: Acquired Antisocial Personality Disorder Associated with Unilateral Left Orbital Frontal Lobe Lesions." Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience 17(3): 121-125. Nicholson, Christie 2012. “Testosterone Automatically Promotes Aggression.” Scientific American. Verdejo-Garcia, Antonio, Antione Bechara, Emily C. Recknor, and Miguel Perez-Garcia. cognitive and emotional aspects of addiction. Journal of the International Society of Neuropsychology 12(3):405-415. Yu, Wounger WY, Shih-Jen Tsai, Chen-Jee Hong, Tai-Jui Chen, Ming-Chao Chen, and Chih-Wei Yang 2005. “Study. of association of a monoamine oxidase A gene promoter polymorphism with major depressive disorder and response to antidepressants.” Neuropsychoparmacology 30:1719-1723.