The role of human basolateral amygdala in ambiguous social threat perception

Cortex. 2014 Mar:52:28-34. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2013.12.010. Epub 2013 Dec 31.

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that the amygdala (AMG) plays a role in how affective signals are processed. Animal research has allowed this role to be better understood and has assigned to the basolateral amygdala (BLA) an important role in threat perception. Here we show that, when passively exposed to bodily threat signals during a facial expressions recognition task, humans with bilateral BLA damage but with a functional central-medial amygdala (CMA) have a profound deficit in ignoring task-irrelevant bodily threat signals.

Keywords: Amygdala; Basolateral amygdala; Body emotion expressions; Emotion; Urbach–Wiethe disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amygdala / physiology*
  • Facial Expression
  • Fear / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Recognition, Psychology / physiology*
  • Social Behavior*
  • Social Perception*
  • Young Adult