b'10 GLOBAL UNION OF SCIENTISTS FOR PEACE SCIENTIFIC SOLUTIONS TO VIOLENCE AND GLOBAL CONFLICT 112STRESS IMPAIRS THE3SOCIETAL STRESS BRAIN, NEGATIVELYFUELS CRIME AND IMPACTS BEHAVIOR SOCIAL VIOLENCEBrain functioning and overall brain developmentThe US Surgeon General has stated that Americans are are a function of age, education, genetics,living in an epidemic of stress, which leads to epidemic levels and environmental factors, such as stress. of heart disease, stroke, and other stress-related illnesses.Stress shuts down the prefrontal cortex, shunting blood flow away from the higher brainAccording to research, pervasive stress on a societal scale also correlates with higher to the primitive, or reactive, braina historic defense mechanism known as the fight-or- crime, including homicide, aggravated assault, rape, and robbery [1]and contributes flight response. Unfortunately, under chronic stress, which is increasingly endemic in theto the outbreak of war, terrorism, and other social violence [2].world today, the prefrontal cortex shuts down chronically and fails to develop properly. The underdevelopment and/or underutilization of the prefrontal cortex is a fundamental causeAccording to prevailing theory in the field of conflict management [3], the first stage of the pervasive violence in society today. in the emergence of war is mounting societal stressacute political, ethnic, and reli-gious tensions in critical hotspots throughout the world. These mounting tensions, if unchecked, frequently erupt into social conflict. In such circumstances of acute societal stress, history shows that diplomatic effortssuch as negotiated settlements and cease-PREFRONTAL ADVANCED BRAIN IMAGINGfirestypically afford only fleeting relief; they provide no stable basis for lasting peace.CORTEXTECHNOLOGY (SPECT) SHOWS THE IMPACT OF TRAUMATIC AND ACUTE STRESS ON THE BRAIN. THE FUNCTIONAL HOLES SEEN IN THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX (RIGHT) REPRESENT AREAS OF OPTIMAL STRESSED SEVERE BRAIN DYSFUNCTION.Traumatic stress also leads to chronic hyperexcitation of the amygdala, a condition seen in millions of military combatants and civilians suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Such stressed individuals experience chronic fear, perceive threats where none exist, and tend to respond accordingly.'