Structure and function of the amygdala

• What is the amygdala and where is it located?

  • a cluster of 13 nuclei made of grey matter, located in the medial temporal lobe and part of the limbic system
• Who first linked the amygdala to emotional behaviour?

  • james papez (1937) and Paul Maclean (1952)
• What brain areas is the amygdala connected to?

  • the hypothalamus, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and other brain regions
• What behaviours is the amygdala involved in?

  • emotion, motivation, social interaction, and responding to environmental threats, influencing aggression