What is the amygdala?
February 8th 2008 02:33
Signature Tune
I referred to the amygdala in my last post so I have put the link there on top so that you can refer to it and understand why I am telling you about the amygdala.
The amygdala is part of the limbic system in the brain, which is concerned with emotions.
One of these emotions is fear and you will find references to fear and the amygdala inthe previous post.
From the illustrations you can see where the amygdala is.
The amygdala is an almond shaped group of neurons ( nerve cell bodies). It has a primary role in the processing of memory and the emotions.
You can also see how the amygdala is closely related to the hippocampus and how it forms the end point of a circuit.
These illustrations are mostly to enable you to have some concept of the placement of the amygdala in the brain and the complexity of the anatomical tissues.
They are not intended to give a completely comprehensive view, just some idea.
Fearful situations are processed both by the hippocampus and the amygdala acting together (as is called in parallel) not in sequence. That is they are processed in two different areas at the same time.
Traumatic events can be experienced again when you are, say, passing by the place in which they happened.
It is the emotion and the amygdala that ensures this happens.
Hopefully you will now understand just a little about the amygdala to allow you to know what it means when you read of it in some article to do with the brain.
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Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
Mis