2. LOCATION OF THE AMYGDALA
Deep within temporal lobe
Directly next to the HIppocampus
3. FUNCTIONS OF THE AMYGDALA
emotional and social processing
linked to both pleasure and fear responses.
Processes and stores emotional events. also involved with present
emotional responses.
necessary to feel certain emotions and to perceive them in others
(Fear is very closely linked with amygdala functions).
stores horrifying events in our memory, so that the next time we think
of the same incident, it appears vividly in our minds and results in
shivering of the body and other reactions of fear.
It is the modulation of aggression
Can be linked with anxiety (effect differs depending on sexes)
4. ABNORMALITIES IN THE AMYGDALA
Abnormalities of the amygdala can result in dramatic changes of our
emotional responses.
Damage, neurotransmitter imbalance, or developmental problems are all
sources of an abnormal functioning of the amygdala.
Abnormalities can result in:
Loss of Fear Responses
violent psychopathic behavior
Bipolar Disorder
Autism, Phobias, PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression.
5. WILLIAMS SYNDROME
missing 21 genes on chromosome seven and are shown
to be highly social and empathetic, even in situations that
would normally cause fear or anxiety in people.
The study compared the brain imaging of people with
williams syndrome and people without it.
participants were shown pictures of angry and fearful
faces, which in normally functioning brains, strongly
activate the amygdala
The fMRI showed much less activity of the amygdala in
participants with WIlliams Syndrome.
6. WILLIAMS SYNDROME
AFterwards, researchers showed the participants
pictures of threatening scenes (a burning building or a
plane crash) which did not have any people or faces in
them
In contrast to the responses to facial expressions, the
participants with williams syndrome showed strong
response in the amygdala
this showed that the amygdala still functioned, but just
abnormally.
7. WOMAN WITHOUT FEAR
“DANIEL TRANEL”
Method: 20 years
observed and recorded patients responses
Exposure to snakes and spiders (most commonly feared animals)
World’s scariest haunted houses
Series of horror films
measured experience with fear
Standardized questionaries
Probing multiple aspects of fear (fear of death to fear of public
speaking
three month period, computerized emotion diary, randomly rate her
current fear level
Failed to experience fear (even during traumatic and life
threatening events)
8. WOMAN WITHOUT FEAR
“DANIEL TRANEL”
Possibly lead to invention for PTSD and other related anxiety disorders
Patient cannot experience fear
Knows what fear is and can distinguish logic
Still doesn’t “mind” being in harms way
Cannot recognize fear in facial expressions
Unable to penetrate her emotional core (cannot be scarred or
traumatized)
Patient hated spiders and snakes, tried to avoid (not scared)
When exposed, was curious and not scared
Lacks adrenaline rushes due to no fear
hard to know that scenarios are painful
9. WOMAN WITHOUT FEAR
“DANIEL TRANEL”
However
Inhaling carbon dioxide 35% led to extreme panic attack
Immense fear and desperation
Stating “worst feeling ever”
Carbon affected interceptive receptors, directly to the brainstem
(underline fear and panic)
Scary films, animals, danger (external) exteroceptive (visual and auditory
pathways
Stimuli doesn’t induce state of fear for her
10. AMYGDALA’S ROLE IN MEMORY CONSOLATION
“EMILY L. MALIN AND JAMES L. MCGAUGH”
The study
In the study, the rats were placed inside a box to familiarize
themselves with that context. On the second day, they were confined
to a dark compartment of the same box for only a few seconds and
given a mild foot shock. The drug oxotremorine, which mimics the
neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain and enhances memory
retention, was injected into the hippocampus, the anterior cingulate
cortex or the amygdala immediately after either the contextual training
on day one or after the foot-shock training on day two. All the rats
were then tested two days later to see how quickly they would return
to the chamber where they had received the foot shock, an indication
of how well they remembered the previous training.
The results
The rats with injections in the amygdala showed better memory
retention regardless of whether they had received the drug after the
context training or the foot-shock training. The results support the
hypothesis that the amygdala is involved in overall consolidation of
memories of different kinds of experiences.
11. STATE OF FEAR
SYMPTOMS
- Sweaty Palms
- Nervous Ticks
- Increase in thoughts and Mind Racing
- Screaming, yelling or inability to do these things
- Immobility or paralysis
-Hives or skin rashes, skin conditions
-Difficulty breathing
-Racing or pounding heart
-Chest pain or tightness
-Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
-Trembling or shaking
-A churning stomach
-Hot or cold flashes; tingling sensations
-Sweating
-Feeling of overwhelming anxiety or
panic
-Feeling an intense need to escape
-Feeling “unreal” or detached from
yourself
-Fear of losing control or going crazy
-Feeling like you’re going to die or pass
out
-Knowing that you’re overreacting, but
feeling powerless to control your fear
12. STATE OF FEAR
SYMPTOMS
- Paralyzed (conversion disorder or - Breathing more rapid and shallow
- Increase in blood pressure
hysterical paralysis)
- Increase in pulse rate
- Wide Eyes
- Raised Eyebrows
- Dilated Pupils
- Flared Nostrils
- Dry Mouth
- Clenched Mouth
- Body hair standing on end
- Larger personal space
- Tense and energized muscles
- Slouching or hunching to minimize their
exposure
- Taller or squared shoulders as in an
aggressive response
- Feet may be pointed to locate a way out
- Increased perspiration
of the situation
- Crossed arms and hands
- Digestive and Immune systems slow
- Drumming of fingers
down
- Fidgeting
- Trembling and shaking
- Rapid Breathing
- Peristalsis reduced
- Shaking or tapping legs
- Increased glycogen to glucose
conversion
- Norepinephrine and epinephrine
secreted
13. INTERESTING FACTS
Current evidence suggests possible correlations between
brain structure, differences in hemispheric ratios and
connection patters in the amygdala, and sexual orientation.
Homosexual men tend to exhibit a more female-like pattern in
the amygdala then heterosexual males do, homosexual
females tend to show more male like patters in the amygdala
than heterosexual women do.
During consolidation, memory can be modulated
emotional arousal following learning activity influences
memory strength
Subjects with Larger amygdalae have larger and more
complex social networks and are able to make accurate social
judgements
