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Human brain in the coronal orientation. Amygdalae are shown in dark red. The amygdala (/ ə ˈ m ɪ ɡ d ə l ə /; pl.: amygdalae / ə ˈ m ɪ ɡ d ə l i,-l aɪ / or amygdalas; also corpus amygdaloideum; Latin from Greek, ἀμυγδαλή, amygdalē, 'almond', 'tonsil' [1]) is a paired nuclear complex present in the cerebral hemispheres of vertebrates.
The amygdala is known to have a role in the "fight-or-flight response", and the hippocampus functions to form memories of the stimulus and the emotions associated with it. [13] The role of the BNST in the acoustic startle reflex may be attributed to specific areas within the nucleus responsible for stress and anxiety responses. [ 12 ]
The basolateral amygdala and nucleus accumbens shell together mediate specific Pavlovian-instrumental transfer, a phenomenon in which a classically conditioned stimulus modifies operant behavior. [7] [8] One of the main functions of the basolateral complex is to stimulate the fear response. The fear system is intended to avoid pain or injury.
The amygdala connects to the thalamus both through the amygdalofugal pathway and through a direct connection to the dorsomedial nucleus of the thalamus. [13] After leaving the substantia innominata , the ventral amygdalofugal pathway continues on a medial path to enter the septal region, the lateral preoptic area , the hypothalamus , and the ...
The uncinate fasciculus is a white matter association tract in the human brain that connects parts of the limbic system such as the temporal pole, anterior parahippocampus, and amygdala in the temporal lobe with inferior portions of the frontal lobe such as the orbitofrontal cortex.
Reduction of the size of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis has been observed in pedophilic male perpetrators, in addition to reductions in the right amygdala, hypothalamus and abnormalities in related structures. The authors propose that childhood deficits in the BNST and medial amygdala may cause inhibition of sexual maturity. [15]
The amygdala, cerebellum, and many other brain regions have been implicated in autism. [15]Unlike some brain disorders which have clear molecular hallmarks that can be observed in every affected individual, such as Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease, autism does not have a unifying mechanism at the molecular, cellular, or systems level.
The extended amygdala is a macrostructure in the brain that is involved in reward cognition and defined by connectivity and neurochemical staining. [1] [2] It includes the central medial amygdala, sublenticular substantia innominata, and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. [1] The boundaries are indistinct in Nissl stained sections. [2]