The main difference between left and right amygdala is that the left amygdala is more associated with sustained emotional and verbal processing, whereas the right amygdala is associated with visual and dynamic emotional analysis.
The brain is the most complex part of the human body. The amygdala is a part of the brain located in both hemispheres of the brain. A wide range of cognitive processes is associated with it. In fact, it is the emotional processing center that receives incoming sensory information and processes it for emotional response. Transmitters norepinephrine, acetylcholine, serotonin, and dopamine modulate the information flow through the amygdala. The amygdala has two parts: the left amygdala and the right amygdala. The left and right amygdalas have separate memory systems, but they work together to evaluate the incoming information, process emotional responses, and store, encode, and retrieve memories associated with certain cues in the surrounding.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is the Left Amygdala
– Definition, Function, Features
2. What is the Right Amygdala
– Definition, Function, Features
3. Difference Between Left and Right Amygdala
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Amygdala, Right Amygdala, Left Amygdala
What is the Left Amygdala
The left amygdala is located on the left hemisphere of the brain, in the temporal lobe of the brain, just above the ear. This is an almond-sized structure. The amygdala is surrounded by the cerebral cortex. It directly touches the hippocampus and the thymus. It consists of a group of nuclei or clusters of neurons. Moreover, the left amygdala is a part of the limbic system which is responsible for regulating memory, emotions, and behavior.
The left amygdala specifically associates with sustaining emotional and verbal processing, as well as the processing and regulating of negative emotions such as anxiety, fear, and sadness. Emotional memory formation and retrieval is another important role of the left amygdala. The left amygdala activates when we experience an emotional event. It also signals the other areas of the brain to create a memory of the event. This is the reason why we are able to experience emotional events more vividly than neutral events. The left amygdala also helps in the retrieval of emotional memories. This happens when we encounter a stimulus that reminds us of a past experience. The left amygdala recalls and retrieves the past memory and activates the emotions associated with that past emotional experience.
What is the Right Amygdala
The right amygdala is located in the right hemisphere of the brain, in the temporal lobe, just above the ear. This is an almond-sized structure. It consists of a group of nuclei or a cluster of neurons.
The right amygdala is mainly responsible for the processing of emotional stimuli such as facial expressions, body language, and vocal tone. It also plays a key role in visual and dynamic emotional analysis and negative emotions. Fear conditioning happens in the right hemisphere. When a person receives conditioned aversive stimuli, it is processed in the right amygdala, which in turn produces a fearful or unpleasant response. This response, which is emotional, programs the individual to avoid stimuli that induce fear. This also helps to assess the threats in the environment.
This structure is also helpful in declarative memory, which contains information from previous experiences. It also helps in retaining episodic memory, which is the memory consisting of autobiographical aspects of memory. It allows the recall of the sensory and emotional experience of the event. The right amygdala does not require conscious recall for this type of memory. It also plays a major role in the association of space and time with emotional properties.
Difference Between Left and Right Amygdala
Definition
The left amygdala is a small, almond-shaped structure located in the temporal lobe of the brain that is involved in processing positive emotions and verbal information, while the right amygdala is a small, almond-shaped structure located in the temporal lobe of the brain that is involved in processing negative emotions and nonverbal information.
Nature
While the left amygdala associates more with sustained emotional and verbal processing, the right amygdala associates with visual and dynamic emotional analysis.
Memory
The left amygdala is important in storing and retrieving emotional memories, while the right amygdala plays a key role in declarative memory and episodic memory.
Location
Moreover, the left amygdala is located in the left hemisphere of the brain, while the right amygdala is located in the right hemisphere of the brain.
Lateralization
The left amygdala is more strongly activated in response to positive emotions, such as happiness, whereas the right amygdala is more strongly activated in response to negative emotions, such as fear.
Conclusion
The brain is the most complex part of the human body. The brain consists of different parts performing different functions. Amygdala is a small structure within the brain. There are two amygdalas in the two hemispheres of the brain, performing slightly different functions. The main difference between left and right amygdala is that the left amygdala is more associated with sustained emotional and verbal processing, whereas the right amygdala is associated with visual and dynamic emotional analysis.
Reference:
1. “Amygdala.” SOP – The Science of Psychotherapy.
2. “Amygdala.” Encyclopediaa Britannica.
Image Courtesy:
1. “MRI Location Amygdala up” By Amber Rieder, Jenna Traynor, Geoffrey B Hall – Own work (CC0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Amygdala” By Memory Loss Online. (CC0) via Commons Wikimedia
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