THE NEUROLOGICAL SYMPOSIA HELD IN HOUSTON ENDEAVOR TO CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE FOR THE FREE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND OPINIONS IN THE MEDICAL AND RELATED SCIENCES. THE SYMPOSIUM HELD DURING 1972 WAS INSPIRED BY THE NEED FOR RESEARCH INTO THE RELATION OF BRAIN FUNCTION AND BEHAVIOR, PARTICULARLY VIOLENT AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR. THE BIOLOGICAL APPROACH TO SUCH A TOPIC NECESSARILY INVOLVED CONCOMITANT INTERESTS OF EXPERTS IN THE FIELDS OF ANTHROPOLOGY, PHILOSOPHY, PSYCHOLOGY, MEDICINE, PSYCHIATRY AND THE LAW, AND BROUGHT TOGETHER A VARIETY OF PROFESSIONALS. THE REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE SYMPOSIUM CONTAINS NOT ONLY THE FINDINGS OF RESEARCH PROJECTS AND THE ESSAYS OF SOCIAL COMMENTATORS, BUT ALSO THE STATEMENTS OF DISSENTERS WHO ORGANIZED A CAMPAIGN TO ALTER THE CONFERENCE. DEBATE IS THEREBY PRESENTED CONCERNING THE USE OF TEMPORAL LABECTOMY, AMYGDALOTOMY, AND POSTERO-MEDIAL HYPOTHALAMOTOMY. ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION CENTERED ON THE STATE OF KNOWLEDGE ON TESTOSTERONE SECRETION, SEX CHROMOSOMES, ANDROGEN INFLUENCES, AND ENVIRONMENT IN ASSOCIATION WITH AGGRESSION, AND THE ABILITY TO DIFFERENTIATE VIOLENT PERSONS FROM NONVIOLENT PERSONS USING BOTH BIOLOGICAL AND PERSONALITY INDICATORS. THE ETHICS OF DRASTIC METHODS OF AGGRESSION CONTROL ARE EXAMINED. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED FOR EACH PRESENTATION, AND THE COMPILATION IS INDEXED BY AUTHOR AND SUBJECT. SEE ALSO NCJ 57521-57528. (TWK)