Scientists Identify Brain's 'Hate Circuit'

[harun]

Source: Health Day

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 29 (HealthDay News) -- British researchers say they've identified a "hate circuit" in the brain.

This hate circuit shares part of the brain associated with aggression, but is distinct from areas related to emotions such as fear, threat, and danger, said researchers Professor Semir Zeki and John Romaya, of University College London's laboratory of neurobiology.

"Hate is often considered to be an evil passion that should, in a better world, be tamed, controlled, and eradicated," Zeki said in a journal news release. "Yet to the biologist, hate is a passion that is of equal interest to love. Like love, it is often seemingly irrational and can lead individuals to heroic and evil deeds. How can two opposite sentiments lead to the same behavior?"

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20081029/hl_hsn/scientistsidentifybrainshatecircuit

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So this is how God makes Republicans...

Seriously though, in the article it goes on to state:

He added that activity in parts of the hate circuit matches the strength of the person's declared intensity of hate, "thus allowing the subjective state of hate to be objectively quantified. This finding may have legal implications in criminal cases, for example."

I think this goes down a slippery slope. Where one can say "My hate motor is big, I am only a little guilty, sorry".

[liberal N proud]

1. Now that they found this circuit can they learn how to turn it off?

[Veilex]

11. This almost sounds like it could lead

to a drug similar to the one used in the movie "Equilibrium"... which, by the way, if you haven't seen it, I strongly suggest you do. it's an excellent movie.

[XemaSab]

18. I'm not sure that's a good idea

If you had turned off the "hate motor" in Liberals for the past 8 years, would there have been that intensity of opposition to the BFEE? :shrug:

[depakid]

19. From the article:

"Significantly, the putamen and insula are also both activated by romantic love."

Just what we want: a "passion lobotomy."

[SmokingJacket]

21. The brain is plastic. You strengthen it by using it.

And you can turn it off by forcing yourself not to use it.

The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge talks about this...

http://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100/ref=ed_oe_p

[Turbineguy]

2. Let me guess....

it's in the shape of a swastika.

[Xipe Totec]

3. I hate it when that happens n/t

[nyc 4 Biden]

4. I hate hate.

I am an enigma.

[MonteLukast]

5. I can't stand intolerant people

:P

[backscatter712]

6. I go out of my way to turn that circuit on when it comes to the Rethugs.

Yes, I hate the Bushies. HATE. The real thing, not just annoyance or perturbedness. I literally hate those fuckers. I turn that circuit on.

It's people like George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, and their ilk which is why we evolved a hate circuit. They are dangerous to us. They're our enemies, and we have to be driven to eradicate those fuckers from our political landscape.

Hatred is not a sickness. Hatred is not evil. Hatred is an emotion, and it's an emotion that can be used. I, for one, choose to use it. It helps keep me motivated.

[Political Tiger]

7. "Hate Circuit," aka: McCain/Palin campaign

[SemperEadem]

14. Now, how to turn them all off.....?

hold still while I search for the switch LOL!

[varun]

8. Hate can be channelled

to do something constructive.

For me, the HATE of the rethugs motivates me to email / call write to the senators / congressmen.

It motivates me to be political.

[Cronopio]

16. "I had anger but never hate ..."

"... Before the war, I was too busy studying to hate. After the war, I thought, What's the use? To hate would be to reduce myself." - Elie Wiesel

Righteous anger is a far better motivator than hate. Hate writes people off irrevocably as human beings, anger leaves many options for change open while keeping the motivation to fight injustice.

Just sayin'.

[nebenaube]

9. Slippery Slope indeed.

He added that activity in parts of the hate circuit matches the strength of the person's declared intensity of hate, "thus allowing the subjective state of hate to be objectively quantified. This finding may have legal implications in criminal cases, for example."

What kind of increase in activity, higher amplitude EEGs? a shift in the the frequency spectrum? Greater glucose metabolism? What? The article never says so but the conclusions appear to based on brain mapping of the EEG and I seriously doubt that it can objectively differentiate between hate, love, lust or self-loathing. We all start with the same basic neural circuitry but over time, based on education, experiences and environmental exposure, we all rewire ourselves to such an extent that these types of conclusions simply cannot be generalized to the entire adult population.

[geomon666]

10. My Hate Circuit has been on for 8 years.

Can't wait to shut the fucking thing off.

[Kalifornia.Kid]

12. Hate circuit already by-passed

[SlingBlade]

13. Finally, A Cure for Republicanisum

:)

[Cronopio]

15. "... the hate circuit involves two structures called the putamen and insula."

"Significantly, the putamen and insula are also both activated by romantic love."

So there's a thin line between love and hate? Chrissie Hynde figured that one out years ago.

[ItNerd4life]

17. I love to hate

my circuits are jumbled.

[superconnected]

20. Closer at figuring out why the republicans are the way they are.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

22. Perchance is it marked with a big red backwards "R"?

Just wondering... :evilgrin:

[blueclown]

23. Ah, the Republican gene. n/t