The amygdala and anterior cingulate system are key parts of the brain involved in emotion processing. The amygdala is almond-shaped and located in the temporal lobes, responsible for processing emotions like fear and controlling aggression. It sends signals throughout the brain. The anterior cingulate cortex resembles a collar around the corpus callosum and regulates autonomic functions and modulates emotional responses. Psychological studies have shown that damage to these areas can impair the interpretation of facial expressions and detection of errors or inconsistencies.

1. The Amygdala & The Anterior Cingulate
System

2. Amygdala

3. • 2 Almond shaped groups of nervous tissue located in the temporal lobes
• Research proposes that the amygdala plays a primary role in process of memory,
decision making and emotional reactions
• The amygdala sends projections to:
the hypothalamus, the dorsomedial thalamus, the thalamic reticular nucleus,
the nuclei of the trigeminal nerve and the facial nerve, the ventral tegmental
area, the locus coeruleus, and the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus
• Responsible for the perception of emotions (eg. Anger, sadness, fear)
• Controlling aggression
Amygdala & its Functions

4. • Two-factor theory of emotion by Schachter and Singer (1962)
• Proposes that when humans experience a sense of physiological arousal we
use the immidiate environmental to search for emotional cues to label the
physiological arrousal.
• Amygdala pathways by Joseph E. LeDoux
• Proposes that there are two amygdala pathways that he calls the ”high road”
and the ”low road” that work simultaneously to provide both fear-response
and perceptual feedback.
Psychological Studies on the Amygdala

5. • Massive reduction of fear and aggression – Tested on monkeys
• Impaired ability to interpret emotional aspects in facial expressions
• Linked to autism
Amygdala Dysfunction

6. Anterior Cingulate System

7. • The frontal part of the cingulate cortex
• Resembles a "collar" form around the “corpus callosum”
• The fibrous bundle that relays neural signals between the right and left
cerebral hemispheres of the brain
• play a role in a wide variety of autonomic functions
• Regulating blood pressure and heart rate. As well as specific functions such as
error detection, anticipation of tasks, attention, motivation, and modulation
of emotional responses to the ACC.[
The Anterior Cingulate System & its Functions

8. • Stroop task (Pardo et al., 1990)
• which involves naming the color ink of words that are either congruent (RED
written in red) or incongruent (RED written in blue).
Psychological Stud on the ACS

9. • Reduction in error detections
• Attention, motivation and modulation of emotional responses to the ACC.
ACS Dysfunction