DISCLAIMER: Although we sometimes compare certain symptoms in zombies to real neurological patient populations, we are in no way implying that patients with these other disorders are in some way “part zombie”. Neurological disorders have provided critical insights into how the brain gives rise to behavior and we bring them up for the sake of illustration only. Their reference in this context is in no way meant to diminish the devastating impact that neurological diseases can have on patients and their caregivers.
To see what brain areas are associated with different behaviors and cognitive states from functional MRI (fMRI) studies, check out the NeuroSynth website created by Tal Yarkoni (http://www.neurosynth.org) and the Cognitive Atlas by Russ Poldrack (http://www.cognitiveatlas.org/).
For more information on patient HM and his tremendous contributions to our understanding of how the brain remembers, please check out these stories.
NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7584970
NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/us/05hm.html?pagewanted=all
For more information on the neural circuitry of aggression, please see the following open access review.
-- Miczek KA, de Almeida RM, Kravitz EA, Rissman EF, de Boer SF, Raine A. Neurobiology of escalated aggression and violence. J Neurosci. 2007 Oct 31;27(44):11803-6 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2667097/
Tim Verstynen on Twitter: @tdverstynen
Bradley Voytek on Twitter: @bradleyvoytek