The Role of the Amygdala in Stress Response

Added: 2026-05-20

[00:00:00]What is the role of the amygdala in [music] stress mitigation or stress modulation? The amygdala plays a crucial role in fear [music] response formulation. Stress responses are then mediated through the anterior cingulate cortex. [music] So, this is known as the limbic circuit.

[00:00:15]So, we know that the amygdala is connected to the anterior cingulate [music] cortex. When we're exposed to stresses, the amygdala is activated resulting in the fight and flight response. And this depends on the level of threat or the stress [music] that we experience. Noradrenaline is released.

[00:00:33]We know that an optimal level of noradrenaline is required for prefrontal [music] cortex functioning. Too much and it results in impulsive decision-making and what we call stress and the feeling of really not being able to make [music] decisions appropriately. And the anterior cingulate cortex puts a value on that stress, whether it's sort of negative [music] or the feeling that one can actually control it. Then from the anterior cingulate cortex further, there are other connections to the medial prefrontal cortex, [music] particularly the ventromedial prefrontal cortex.