Tag: amygdala

A small group of nerve cells in the brain determines whether an individual continues to consume alcohol even when it has negative consequences. This is the conclusion of a study carried out on rats by researchers at Linköping University. The scientists have identified a previously unknown mechanism that may be a suitable target for treatment

Anxiety is an adaptive response that is of great benefit to all life forms. It triggers fear learning, i.e., survival instincts that alert an organism to its surroundings and the dangers that prevail in it. However, extreme anxiety that is inappropriate to a circumstance and is prolonged is a negative emotion, labeled as a social

Researchers have long believed that the amygdala, an almond-shaped structure in the brain, is central to the experience and perception of fear. Studies initiated in the 1990s of a patient with a rare condition affecting the amygdala initially seemed to support this conclusion. However, as Lisa Feldman Barrett, Ph.D., of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)