role of the amygdala

Question 1

Coccaro (2007)

Answer 1

showed angry faces to IED and control groups. used fMRI scans. increased activity in amygdala of IED than control. demonstrates association between amygdala and processing of aggressive emotions

Question 2

Yu Gao et al

Answer 2

1795 participants tested for fear conditioning- physiological arousal in response to painful noise - at age 3. 20 yrs later, those involved in crime had shown no fear conditioning at 3. suggests causal relationship between amygdala dysfunction and antisocial/criminal behaviour

Question 3

Feinstein

Answer 3

case study on SM. had lesions to both amygdala and didn’t exhibit fear behaviours. however, she had never committed a crime

Question 4

Raine

Answer 4

Murderers with high degree of reactive aggression. Had higher glucose metabolism in amygdala as well as abnormally low metabolism in pre frontal cortex (includes OFC - influence self control, regulate impulsivity, inhibit aggression). Regulation of aggression is complex and involves more than just the amygdala. explanation is reductionist

Question 5

Pardini et al

Answer 5

Selected 503 males who had been involved in earlier study at 6/7 yrs. 20 yrs later identified subgroup of 56 who had been aggressive since childhood. fMRI showed they had low amygdala volume. Cannot be explained by confounding variables, has predictive validity