Processing Fear, Emotion, And The Extraction

Certain stimulus can produce fear in the bravest of the masses. In a circumstance where one might experience what is known as fear conditioning, the stimulus would produce a response within the body. This expression of fear would trigger a number of physical and emotional reactions. Such as: heart rate, breathing, muscle response, sweating, etc.

Could it be possible that there is a portion of the brain that is responsible for this emotion that we label as fear? What if scientists were able to locate the part of the brain specifically that kindles the spark of fear in all of us?

Researchers have discovered that a particular patient they refer to as SM, shows very little indication of fear at all. It almost seems impossible doesn’t it?

The amygdala is an almond shaped part of the brain that is thought to produce the experience of fear in a normal human. The patient called SM, a female, has bilateral amygdala damage. She is about 44 years old.

Her other emotions are completely normal. She has the normal facilities that an average adult would possess, such as IQ, memory, language, and perception. However, SM is severely impaired in relation to fear conditioning, recognition, facial expressions, and a sense of immediate danger.

Justin S. Feinstein, Ralph Adolphs, Antonio Damasio, and Daniel Tranel performed a scientific investigation. The group tried three varied experiments that were designed to induce fear in the patient. The results of the study are very interesting, to say the least.

On the three tests that were exhibited, SM showed little to no fear on all occasions. But the study does state that it would be a false claim to say that SM is emotionless or unable to experience emotion.

The part of the human brain that we call the amygdala may be the sole unique component that provides the species with a very important mechanism – fear. If you could eradicate the phobias in your life, would you consider it?