Amygdala

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  amygdala \a*myg"da*la\ ([.a]*m[i^]g"d[.a]*l[.a]), n.; pl.
     {-l[ae]} (-l[=e]). [L., an almond, fr. Gr. 'amygda`lh. See
     {Almond}.]
     1. An almond.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  


     2. (Anat.)
        (a) One of the tonsils of the pharynx.
        (b) One of the rounded prominences of the lower surface of
            the lateral hemispheres of the cerebellum, each side
            of the vallecula.
            [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  amygdala
       n : an almond-shaped neural structure in the anterior part of
           the temporal lobe of the cerebrum; intimately connected
           with the hypothalamus and the hippocampus and the
           cingulate gyrus; as part of the limbic system it plays an
           important role in motivation and emotional behavior [syn:
            {amygdaloid nucleus}, {corpus amygdaloideum}]
       [also: {amygdalae} (pl)]