Neurocognitive Deficits, Substance Abuse, and Violence

Violence and substance abuse are interrelated problems that are both pervasive and costly in terms of burden to social service systems, such as healthcare and criminal justice, not to mention the widespread experience of human suffering. A framework that accommodates a range of factors stems from an understanding of ways in which both genetic and environmental influences intersect at the level of the brain and are manifested as variations in integrity of neurocognitive functioning. The relationship between biology and environment is both nonlinear and dynamic, continuing to fluctuate throughout adulthood. Poverty, stress, victimization, negative experiences within social systems, and other forms of adversity affect brain functioning throughout life. Executive functions are considered “higher order” cognitive skills that play a role in the thinking process as well as in regulating responses to the environment.