Amygdala & Avoidance and Reward Center

Amygdala's purpose

Helps detect potential threats and produce avoidance/fear responses.

Amygdala damage

Reduced recognition and response to threats

Amygdala variability

People differ in how strongly their amygdala responds to threats, affecting their emotional reactions.

Poor amygdala control

Overly strong or poorly regulated emotional reactions.

Reward center purpose

Helps motivate behavior toward things that are rewarding or desirable.

Main reward pathway

VTA → dopamine → nucleus accumbens, with connections to other brain areas.

No dopamine

Rats become extremely unmotivated and may stop eating or drinking.

What activates VTA dopamine?

Rewards and reward-predicting cues can activate dopamine neurons.

Where is pleasure?

Network of brain regions.

Amygdala + reward system

Both identify important stimuli and help motivate behavior.

Amygdala vs. reward

Amygdala is avoiding threats, while reward systems motivate approaching reward