Question

Stan has been extremely afraid of cats since he was scratched as a 5-year-old. Whenever he sees a cat, he remembers the time he was scratched across his face and starts to feel afraid. If a cat comes towards him, he often runs away immediately, as he is afraid of being scratched again. Stan’s behaviors and recollection of this trauma are a result of the __________ in the limbic system.

a. hippocampus
b. medulla
c. amygdala
d. thalamus

Answer 1

amygdala?

Step-by-step explanation:

The amygdala (Latin, corpus amygdaloideum) is an almond-shape set of neurons located deep in the brain's medial temporal lobe. Shown to play a key role in the processsing of emotions, the amygdala forms part of the limbic system.

Answer 2

The correct answer is option c. "amygdala".

Step-by-step explanation:

Amygdala is an almond-shaped structure within the limbic system involved in emotional responses, hormonal secretions, and memory. When a person like Stan experiences a traumatic event during childhood, adrenaline is produced into the body and amygdala memorizes the event. Later, during adulthood a person can experience afraid produced by the traumatic event because amygdala holds the emotional significance of the event. This traumatic response combines all the functions of the amygdala: emotion, hormonal secretion and memory.