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Clinical and physiological effects of stereotaxic bilateral amygdalotomy for intractable aggression 25th Meeting of the International-Neuropsychological-Society Lee, G. P., Bechara, A., Adolphs, R., Arena, J., Meador, K. J., Loring, D. W., Smith, J. R. AMER PSYCHIATRIC PUBLISHING, INC. 1998: 413–20

Abstract

The amygdala is thought to be an important neural structure underlying the "fight-or-flight" response, but information on its role in humans is scarce. The clinical and psychophysiological effects of amygdalar destruction were studied in 2 patients who underwent bilateral amygdalotomy for intractable aggression. After surgery, both patients showed a reduction in autonomic arousal levels to stressful stimuli and in the number of aggressive outbursts, although both patients continued to have difficulty controlling aggression. The "taming effect" reported after bilateral amygdalar destruction may be due to the amygdala's inadequate processing of perceived threat stimuli that would normally produce a fight-or-flight response.

View details for Web of Science ID 000076783200005

View details for PubMedID 9813786