Definition of "amygdala" []

• An almond-shaped mass of gray matter in the anterior portion of the temporal lobe. Also called amygdaloid nucleus. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "One study found that the amygdala is smaller in subjects with family histories of alcoholism, suggesting that inherited differences in brain structure may affect risk."
• "* The amygdala is an area of the brain thought to play a role in the emotional aspects of craving, which can lead to addiction."
• "HAGERTY: Fallon says that's because the orbital cortex puts a brake on another part of the brain called the amygdala, which is involved with aggression and appetites."