Canine Behaviour Principles Lesson 46: Important Regions of the Dog’s Brain - Part 4

A set of vocabulary flashcards based on Lesson 46 covering the functions and dysfunctions of the amygdala and thalamus in canine behavior.

Amygdala

An almond-shaped structure located within the temporal lobes that forms a core part of the limbic system and plays a central role in emotional processing and behavioural regulation.

Thalamus

A bilateral, deep-seated structure positioned between the brainstem and the cortex that acts as a central relay station for nearly all sensory information, except smell.

Limbic System

A network of interconnected brain structures that governs emotion, motivation, and memory, including the amygdala and the thalamus.

Fear processing

A function of the amygdala used to evaluate threats and determine whether something is dangerous.

Emotional memory

The storage and retrieval of emotional experiences, especially fear-related ones, managed by the amygdala.

Threat and reward appraisal

The amygdala's process of judging whether a situation or stimulus is threatening, neutral, or positive.

Hypervigilance

A state of heightened sensitivity to potential threats, often linked to amygdala overactivity, causing dogs to interpret neutral events as threatening.

Judgment Bias

A tendency to interpret ambiguous situations optimistically or pessimistically based on emotional state.

Pessimistic judgment bias

An outlook where a dog sees the world as unsafe or unpredictable, often resulting from an overactive amygdala.

Fast route (fear response)

The pathway where sensory information is sent directly from the thalamus to the amygdala, enabling immediate reactions before the cortex fully evaluates the situation.

Overactive Thalamus

A condition leading to overreaction and hypervigilance, where the dog is constantly alert to environmental stimuli.

Underactive Thalamus

A condition resulting in underreaction, where the dog appears dull, unresponsive, or slow to notice important cues.

Balanced Amygdala Activity

Activity that supports healthy social recognition, learning, memory, optimism, adaptability, and regulated arousal levels.

Relay nuclei

Components within the thalamus that receive, process, and forward sensory information to different brain areas.