The Amygdala Video

The amygdalae (Latin, also corpus amygdaloideum, singular amygdala, from Greek αμυγδαλή, amygdalē, 'almond', 'tonsil', listed in the Gray's Anatomy as the nucleus amygdalæ)[1] are almond-shaped groups of nuclei located deep within the medial temporal lobes of the brain in complex vertebrates, including humans.[2] Shown in research to perform a primary role in the processing and memory of emotional reactions, the amygdalae are considered part of the limbic system.[3].

Psychology is an unavoidable aspect of life; we can observe it every day - from mental illness to the acquisition of language - everything we do, think, and feel is determined by our minds. What particularly interests me is the biological explanations behind human behaviour, and why certain neurological factors, such as biochemical abnormalities, can influence how an individual behaves. Through unravelling the complexities behind human behaviour, emotions, and thought, psychology attempts to solve many current problems we face today, such as the projected increase in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, through conducting life changing research. The opportunity to be involved in a field that so positively impacts people’s

I read the article, “Secrets of the Brain”, found in the February 2014 issue of National Geographic written by Carl Zimmer. I chose this subject because I have been fascinated with the brain and how it works. The research of the brain has been ongoing for many centuries now. The history in this article is interesting. It explained how scientists used to understand the brain and its inner workings. For example, “in the ancient world physicians believed that the brain was made of phlegm. Aristotle looked on it as a refrigerator, cooling of the fiery heart. From his time through the Renaissance, anatomists declared with great authority that our perceptions, emotions, reasoning, and actions were all the result of “animal spirits”—mysterious, unknowable vapors that swirled through cavities in our head and traveled through our bodies.” (Zimmer, p. 38)

This video is about The Behaving Brain; it explains how the brain and amnesia work. According to the video, neurons duties are to receive information from other cells, process this information, and transmitting it to the rest of the body. This is done by traveling through dendrites, to the soma, to the axon, to the terminal buttons. Constant nerve flow helps regulate our metabolism, temperature, and respiration. It also enables learning and the ability to comprehend. The brain is connected to the brain stem, which is connected to the cerebellum, which is connected to the limbic system. The limbic system is made up of the amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and thalamus. The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain, where things are

Signal processing within the amygdala is further regulated by interactions with a network of external structures. In particular, the dMT and its projections to the CeL have been demonstrated to play a role in fear memory retrieval. Notably, the dMT is assumed to be extensively modulated by opioids considering its innervation with opioidergic fibers and the high expression levels of MORs. Previous studies have reported the MOR system in the PVT, as part of the dMT, to be involved in managing physical pain. Moreover, social pain, which describes social rejection, being excluded or not being liked by others and which is associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression, appears to involve the MOR system in the PVT (Hsu et al). However, so far a direct implication of

The video resonated with me the most. Even though dissociative and hyperarousal was described in the video for children reaction to threats, this concept reminds me of my defensive mechanism from when I was in an abusive relationship. As I was listening, I began to have flashbacks that replayed in my head of the dissociative phase. I remember when I was put into uncomfortable situations where I would prepare my mind of the hurt that was soon to come from my boyfriend range and anger. Yes, I was older, but I felt like such a weak young girl due to not having the backbone to flee or fight. I was so afraid. I appreciate reading and listening to videos that are congruent to life itself. This helps me understand how individuals process fear from all aspects.

The Amygdala is a control center in your brain which gives neurons located in the brains medial temporal lobe. It plays the role of giving you your emotions. In The Odyssey by Homer, he shows a little of what the Amygdala can do through the women in this epic poem. Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, presents many ordinary aspects of what this can signal in your brain. Despite Penelope showing typical aspects as an ancient Greek woman, she shows cunning in her actions which is atypical for ancient Greek women.

Siegel provides enlightening guidance in his chapter through using clearly explained analogies, metaphors, diagrams, emerging neuroscience research, and spiritual wisdom. In Part I of this novel, the author primarily focuses on the structure and bountiful abilities of the brain, such as neuroplasticity, “the term used to describe the capacity for creating new neural connections and growing new neurons in response to experience” (5). These new neural connections make way for change, by not only strengthening the areas that one may be weak in, but by also learning how to make better and more conscious choices when faced with turbulence. In Part II, Siegel explores the real-world accounts of this turbulence and how patients are able to utilize mindsight to change how they focus their attention by finding a

The television series, Through the Wormhole had an episode that talked about the Subconscious of the human brain. The subconscious of the brain has long been thought of as the source of our primal fears and desires. Scientists have discovered how the subconscious makes snap decisions that protect us from harm, and that it can be trained to actually heal our bodies of disease. There was an example in the video where Morgan Freeman talked about when he was eight years old he had to memorize twelve line from a play but thought he would forget if he goes on stage in front of a big crowd. Once he got on stage, the nervousness of his body went away and recited every line in the play. This comes to show that the brain can memorize many things when it comes to reading or movement. Certain parts of the brain tend to turn off when we start on a task. Those regions of the brain become active

This weeks reading discussed the brain and many complicated factors that go along with it. The brain has been an important area of study for decades and there are many different perspectives when it comes to how it works. Brain imaging, like what is discussed in the reading provided by Dr. Gordon Rose entitled "Postcards From the Brain" has shown us more information about how the brain works, but it has also led to many perspectives related to how consciousness works, and hard versus easy problems in the brain. It debates whether hard problems even exist. Furthermore, the reading provided, also describes language in a baby's brain, how mimicry works, and disorders throughout human development. These sections all involve slightly different perspectives when it comes to how our mind works.

This video opened my eyes to the extent of how much of our reality is perceived in the brain. The technical explanations of the brain and the communications through the neuron and their signals slightly confused me; however, I understood the pathways of our nerves and how they connect to the brain. After watching this video, a lot of things became clearer to me. The lives of people told in this video were very intriguing. I’m not exactly sure why, but the thought of having your own unique perception of the world calmed me. Overall, this video made me want to hear more about actual effects involving brain problems, instead of learning about the actual anatomy of the brain: neuro signals, neural networks, columns, etc.,

The amygdala has been the subject of many researchers’ curiosity throughout the history of neurological science and neuropsychology. Multiple studies have been successful in identifying the role of the amygdala in the human brain and it’s primary

However, the most memorable thing I was able to see that day was the human brain. Looking at it, it didn’t look much different than models we had used in class. The student in charge of that section went over the fundamental parts of the brain, things I had studied for class. Though it was interesting, the moment that made it really real for me was the moment I was able to hold it. Holding it is my hand, the basic anatomy of the brain went away. I stood in an awed silence as I tried to imagine the things it had seen, had heard, the life it had lived. This was the motor to human existence. Though brains may look similar on the outside, on the inside they were so unique, so different, each like a snowflake, only ever occurring once. It was in that moment that I knew I wanted to learn all I could about this fascinating object that is the mind, unlock doors that had previously been closed, and leave the world a better place than I found it.

Findings from animal and human studies further suggest that the amygdala processes stimuli that are ambiguous and for which additional

Chapter 2 is centered on the early attempts to identify the brain’s components of emotions. Key researchers that are discussed are a Cornell neuroanatomist, James Papez, and aforementioned physician and neuroscientist Paul MacLean, who worked at Yale and the National Institutes of Mental Health. Together, this pair of researchers conducted seminal medial temporal lobe lesion experiments. The resulting idea was that the emotional brain is composed of a set of interconnected structures in the core of the brain. MacLean dubbed these structures as the “limbic system”. The function of the limbic system and it relationship to emotion was widely debated by many researchers.