Have you ever wondered why you jump when you’re startled? Maybe you wonder why you have a harder time handling stress and anxiety than your friends and family do. Part of the reason might lie in your ...

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe form of depression characterized by a persistent low mood, hopelessness, ...

In 1995, author Daniel Goleman coined the term “amygdala hijack”–an idea that has subsequently appeared in countless blogs, self-help books, and videos. According to this idea, a part of the brain ...

Fear is a natural emotion triggered by a perceived threat. However, it can also be a factor in fear-related mental health conditions. Scientists believe the biological processing of fear occurs in a ...

Researchers have shown how the amygdala, a brain region typically associated with fear, contributes to prepulse inhibition (PPI) by activating small inhibitory neurons in the mouse brain stem. The ...

Compared with healthy individuals, those with major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder exhibit reduced ...

The amygdala can activate a person’s fight-or-flight response as a reaction to a real or perceived threat of danger. Amygdala hijack describes the perhaps unnecessary triggering of this response and ...