amygdala

/əˈmɪgdələ/

/əˈmɪgdələ/

Other forms: amygdalae; amygdalas

Think of the tiny, almond-shaped amygdala as the brain's alarm system. It sits in the front part of the brain’s temporal lobe and plays a starring role in the limbic system, sparking our emotional and behavioral reactions.

The amygdala (pronounced uh-MIG-duh-luh) is crucial for emotional responses and survival instincts. It helps us react to potential threats by triggering fear responses, but it's also involved in recognizing pleasure and rewards. This brain region helps to store memories of emotional events, making it essential for learning from past experiences. Understanding the amygdala can give insights into various psychological conditions, including anxiety disorders, as it is heavily involved in how we perceive and react to the world around us.

Definitions of amygdala

1. noun

   an almond-shaped neural structure in the anterior part of the temporal lobe of the cerebrum; intimately connected with the hypothalamus and the hippocampus and the cingulate gyrus; as part of the limbic system it plays an important role in motivation and emotional behavior
   synonyms: amygdaloid nucleus, corpus amygdaloideum

   type of:

   basal ganglion

   any of several masses of subcortical grey matter at the base of each cerebral hemisphere that seem to be involved in the regulation of voluntary movement