Description
Although people talk about the amygdala, there are, in fact, two. Each amygdala is located close to the hippocampus, in the frontal portion of the temporal lobe of the brain. The amygdala allows us to experience emotions and to recognise emotions in other people. The amygdala is involved in our flight or fight response to danger. Many of the alarm circuits are grouped together in the brain, and process incoming sensory danger signals, etc. The amygdala processes sets of stimuli as well as individual stimuli, giving a context to the sensory input. The amygdala plays an important role in the process in which we label something as dangerous and start to feel anxious or frightened. Many kinesiologists, (such as practitioners of Applied Physiology, Integrated Healing, AcuNeuroSync/LEAP and Professional Kinesiology Provider) work with the amygdala as the place where early emotional memories are stored. These experiences, which may happen before the child is able to understand the event in its full context, can result in emotional triggers that continue to disturb us into adulthood. Other kinesiologists also work with early emotions but without recourse to the concept of the amygdala.
