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amygdala

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amygdala

Almond-shaped region of the brain adjacent to the hippocampus, that links the cortex, responsible for conscious thought, with the regions controlling emotions. It is involved in interpreting fear-provoking information and linking it to fear responses. For example, where the amygdala is damaged, patients are unable to recognize fearful expressions.

Emotionally charged events are more easily recalled than neutral events, and in 1996 US researchers demonstrated a link between the amygdala and the memorizing of emotionally loaded images.

The amygdala is involved in assessment of character in unfamiliar people by using knowledge of past experiences to determine whether a person is, for example, trustworthy or friendly. Those people with damaged amygdalas were found, in a 1998 study, to be unable to make these judgements.



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The results showed that a part of the brain called the amygdala was especially active in players in the violent-game group, especially when follow-up tasks required them to respond to loaded words, such as "hit" and "kill.
Video game violence by Sohn, Emily / Science News for Kids
The inherited defect interferes with the workings of the brain's emotion system, which is centered in the amygdala, a structure especially concerned with perceiving dangerous situations.
The predator's gaze: scientists explore the frightening world of ... by Bower, Bruce / Science News
In these situations, the amygdala starts a chain of physiological responses (commonly called the fight or flight response) to ready the body for action.
Brain-compatible learning: fad or foundation? Neuroscience points to ... by Wolfe, Patricia / School Administrator
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