Are YOU easily scared? Scientists pinpoint brain region that controls fear of the unknown
- Structure called the amygdala has previously been linked to anxiety
- It has also been linked to controlling responses to obvious threats
- Latest study shows how it control our fear when threat is ambigous
Entering a dark, unfamiliar room can fill some people with dread, while others step in without thinking twice.
Now scientists have discovered the brain structure called the amygdala could help explain why.
The amygdala is an almond-shaped set of neurons that has been linked to conditions such as anxiety, autism and depression.
Research at the California Institute of Technology has found that the amygdala - an almond-shaped set of neurons - controls a person's fear response in the face of an ambiguous threat
Earlier work by a team at the California Institute of Technology showed that the amygdala plays an important role in responses to clear threats, like a snake or a charging tiger.
But it’s not known if it also plays a role in these more ambiguous but potentially scary situations.
In a paper recently published in the journal Psychological Science, researchers Laura Harrison and Ralph Adolphs examined the impact of amygdala lesions.
Previous studies have shown that monkeys with amygdala lesions display a tendency to actually approach stimuli that are normally considered threatening.
The researchers asked control subjects and three subjects with amygdala damage to indicate the degree to which they found pictures of people with or without obscured central facial features either trustworthy or threatening.
Earlier work by a team at the California Institute of Technology showed that the amygdala plays an important role in responses to clear threats, like a snake or a charging tiger. But it’s not known if it also plays a role in these more ambiguous but potentially scary situations
Those with amygdala damage revealed a greater tendency than others to rate obscured faces as more approachable than whole faces.
According to the researchers, the findings suggest that amygdala lesions lead to a tendency to evaluate situations positively, even in the face of the unknown.
The results also suggests that the amygdala plays a significant role in detecting threats.
This, the researchers say, is critical in the ongoing effort to treat anxiety and similar life-altering conditions.
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