amygdala
noun
\
, -ˌlī \
Definition of amygdala
— called also amygdaloid nucleus
Examples of amygdala in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
When a stressor occurs, the amygdala region perceives the threat and sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus, which acts like a command center. — Bridget Alex, Discover Magazine, "What Science Says About Why You're Stressed and How to Cope," 21 June 2019 Your amygdala appears to kickstart this survival mechanism, better known as your fight-or-flight response. — Natasha Lavender, SELF, "This Is the Difference Between Feeling Anxious and Having an Anxiety Disorder," 16 May 2019 Anxiety is physiological, influenced by a delicate balance of hormones and the tug of war between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. — Caroline Foran, Glamour, "No, You Don’t Have to ‘Justify’ Your Anxiety," 27 Mar. 2019 The olfactory bulb sends information to the amygdala, which is involved with experiencing emotions, and the hippocampus, the memory center. — April Long, Marie Claire, "Aromatherapy Perfumes: Do They Really Work?," 20 Feb. 2019 Hormones released in the amygdala itself also have been shown to affect bravery. — Rowan Hooper, WSJ, "The Biology of Bravery—and Fear," 19 Oct. 2018 And without it, the parts of the brain that deal with attachment and fear — the amygdala and hippocampus — develop differently. — William Wan, chicagotribune.com, "What separation from parents does to children: 'The effect is catastrophic'," 18 June 2018 Connections between the amygdala and hippocampus were also weak in the infected macaques, which suggests signals sent between those two areas—ones that would help the infants recognize and respond to stressful situations—would be slow or spotty. — Dina Fine Maron, Scientific American, "Zika Exposure Even after Birth May Lead to Brain Damage," 4 Apr. 2018 Not completely away, but in a synaptic cabinet beneath my amygdala. — Abby Ellin, Marie Claire, "I Almost Married a Con Man," 8 Jan. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'amygdala.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for amygdala
amygdala
noun
\
, -ˌlī
\
Medical Definition of amygdala
— called also amygdaloid body, amygdaloid nucleus
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on amygdala
What made you want to look up amygdala? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Farm Idioms Quiz
-
- What does 'poke' refer to in the expression 'pig in a poke'?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
-
Farm Idioms Quiz
Not your children's farm quiz.
Take the quiz -
Up in the Sky: A Quiz
It's a bird? It's a plane? No, I'm really asking. What is it?
Take the quiz -
Spell It
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quiz -
Bee Cubed
Listen to the words and spell through all three levels.
Play the game
Share amygdala
Resources for amygdala