What is the Amygdala?
The Amygdala (amygdalae; plural) are a pair of small organs within the medial temporal lobes of the brain. The amygdala are part of the limbic system and their primary role is in the processing and memory of emotional reactions such as the anxiety reaction or 'flight or fight' response.
In humans, the amygdala perform important roles in the formation and storage of memories associated with emotions including anxiety. Scientists have shown that fear conditioning, experienced for example by those who develop an anxiety disorder such as generalised anxiety, panic attacks, phobias or obsessions (OCD), happens within the amygdala and is stored by it as an inappropriate anxious reaction.
The amygdala reacts to 'fear conditioning' in the same way as Pavlov's dogs were conditioned to salivate on hearing a bell; this kind of conditioning is called operant conditioning and was studied extensively by eminent psychologist Burrhus Frederic Skinner who found that through repetition, the subconscious mind could be affected in a way which would alter the autonomic reactions stored in it.
John Broadus Watson, an eminent psychologist with theories similar to Skinner's, believed that he could take a human child and 'create' the kind of person he wanted by manipulating their behaviours; this stands to reason when histories of anxious people reveal the catalysts for their condition, more often than not, a specific catalyst can be identified and these include family situations, bereavement, exposure to other sufferers and general social environment amongst many more.
Through behavioural modifications, the amygdala can be modified to react differently. During high anxiety, the amygdala can be modified to react with higher levels of anxiety and this can then become fixed causing an anxiety disorder such as panic disorder, OCD or phobias. Similarly, those with anxiety conditions can, through a structured programme, modify the inappropriate reactions of the amygdala in order return it to a more appropriate level, thus eliminating the anxious symptoms associated with the disorder.