Using your knowledge of the limbic system, explain why people who suffer from phobias and disabling anxiety often feel afraid without knowing why

Question

What will be an ideal response

Answer 1

Answer will include that a part of the limbic system known as the amygdala provides a primitive, "quick pathway" to the cortex. Like lower animals, we can be startled and, as such, are able to react to dangerous stimuli before we fully know what is going on. In situations where true danger exists, such as in military combat, the amygdala's rapid response may aid survival. However, disorders of the brain's fear system can be very disruptive. An example is the war veteran who involuntarily dives into the bushes when he hears a car backfire. The role of the amygdala in emotion may also explain why people who suffer from phobias and disabling anxiety often feel afraid without knowing why. Unconscious fear produced by the amygdala seems to explain why people who survive horrible experiences, such as plane crashes can have debilitating fear years later.