The Neurobiology of Anger

Course overview

The Neurobiology of Anger provides clinicians with a research-based examination of how anger develops, escalates, and becomes dysregulated across diverse clinical presentations. Drawing on contemporary affective neuroscience, the course explains how key neural systems, including the amygdala, insula, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), , prefrontal cortex, hypothalamus, and periaqueductal gray, shape threat detection, physiological arousal, interoceptive awareness, and inhibitory control. The curriculum distinguishes anger from related constructs such as aggression, irritability, hostility, and fear, emphasizing the importance of precise assessment and formulation. Participants explore functional, cognitive-affective, and dimensional models of anger, along with the neurochemical, hormonal, and inflammatory processes that influence anger reactivity. Special emphasis is placed on developmental factors, attachment disruptions, trauma, sex/gender differences, and neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD, TBI, and ASD. The course reviews evidence-based interventions including CBT, DBT, mindfulness- and acceptance-based approaches, affect labeling, cognitive bias modification, physiological regulation strategies, and skills targeting autonomic recovery. Through this integrated framework, clinicians learn to conceptualize anger as an emotion-regulation phenomenon driven by interactions between induction and control networks, enabling more precise, targeted, and compassionate treatment planning. This course equips mental-health professionals with the scientific literacy and practical skills necessary to assess, conceptualize, and effectively intervene in anger dysregulation.