Amygdala
An almond-shaped mass of grey matter inside each cerebral hemisphere, primarily involved with emotions, emotional behavior, and motivation.
The amygdala is a group of nuclei located within the anterior medial portion of the brain’s temporal lobe. Part of the limbic system, the amygdala is involved in processing of emotions, particularly fear, although its constituent nuclei – the basolateral nucleus, the central nucleus, the lateral nucleus – have diverse functions. A complete picture of the functional roles of the amygdala is unavailable, but it is known to be affected in several neurological disorders and psychiatric disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, temporal lobe epilepsy, anxiety, and depression.
Find out more about emotions and your brain
Find out more about how stress and other emotions work in your brain.