amygdala

[uh-mig-duh-luh]

noun

Anatomy.

plural

amygdalae 

1. an almond-shaped part, as a tonsil.

2. a ganglion of the limbic system adjoining the temporal lobe of the brain and involved in emotions of fear and aggression.

amygdala

/ əˈmɪɡdələ /

noun

1. anatomy an almond-shaped part, such as a tonsil or a lobe of the cerebellum

amygdala

plural

amygdalae 

1. An almond-shaped mass of gray matter in the front part of the temporal lobe of the cerebrum that is part of the limbic system and is involved in the processing and expression of emotions, especially anger and fear.

Word History and Origins

Origin of amygdala¹

before 950; < Medieval Latin: almond, tonsil, Latin: almond < Greek amygdálē; replacing Middle English amygdal, Old English amigdal almond < Latin amygdalon < Greek amýgdalon; almond

Word History and Origins

Origin of amygdala¹

C16: from Medieval Latin: _almond

Example Sentences

The discovery, published in iScience, shows that restoring the balance of neuronal excitability within a precise part of the amygdala can reverse these behavioral changes in mice.

Read more on Science Daily

Semantic concept neurons have also been found in different parts of the MTL, such as the amygdala and the entorhinal cortex.

Read more on Salon

In other research, even people who did not have a working amygdala still experienced fear.

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Sound is detected by the ear and passed onto the brain and one region – the amygdala – performs the emotional assessment.

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The latter response, Mormann noted, took place in a neuron of the amygdala, which is already known to contain semantic concept cells and to be involved in olfaction.

Read more on Salon