The identification of a specific brain system that processes fear is spurring a great interest in the field. New discoveries could explain the mystery behind many mental disorders and prompt the development of new treatments. A bang against the window draws you out of a snooze. You bolt upright. A shadow dances outside the window.
Additional messages sent to the amygdala determine that the wavering image is only a branch.
This time there is no need to bolt. The fear response is snuffed out and you return to sleep. Research is revealing the brain areas and mechanisms that are involved in this amygdala-based fear circuit. Insights on how gender, age and illness affect fear interpretations. Researchers began to find evidence that the amygdala was involved in the emotion of fear in the late 1930s.