Friday, December 17th, 2010

No Fear

3-D MRI rendering of a brain with fMRI activation of the amygdala highlighted in red. Image courtesy NIMH Clinical Brain Disorders Branch, NIH.

Researchers are studying the brain and behavior of a woman known as SM. She lives in a world without fear -- a condition the researchers believe is due to a lack of function in her amygdala. In research involving snakes, spiders, horror movies, and haunted houses, the researchers are exploring her world and trying to gain a better understanding of what fear is and the role it plays in our lives. A report on their work is published this week in the journal Current Biology.