Faces, fear and the amygdala

Abstract

Two reports - one on page 669 of this issue, the other to appear in Brain next February - provide rare and remarkable evidence that in humans a brain structure called the amygdala participates in the perception of social signals. Both groups find that damage to the amygdala produces selective deficits in the perception of facial expression. The amygdala is roughly the size and shape of an almond nut, and lies deeply buried in the temporal lobe.

Additional details