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Dictionary of Psychology >> Amygdala
Amygdala
An almond-shaped subcortical structure in the limbic system that plays a central role in emotion and in the evaluation of stimuli.
Amygdala serves as a type of an emotional evaluator. Without amygdala an individual would be unable to experience the warm sense of familiarity that is usually produced by seeing a loved one's face.
Hence, people with damage to their amygdala often develop Capgras Disorder.
Some more recent studies show that the amygdala acts as an evaluator of not just any type of emotion, but specifically of feelings of fear and anxiety. Patients with bilateral amygdala damage (both the left and right halves are lesioned) are unable to recognize facial expressions of fear, even though they still have good understanding of what kind of situations would cause fear in people, how freightened people tend to behave and use words describe fear and anxiety.
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