title: A critical period for the impact of amygdala damage on the emotional enhancement of memory?
abstract: The amygdala is crucial in modulating enhanced memory for emotionally arousing material. The authors provide evidence that unilateral lesions of the human amygdala arising early in development, but not in adulthood, are associated with a loss of the expected superior retrieval of emotionally arousing over neutral material. This adds to evidence for an early critical period in the development of amygdala function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, PO Box 68, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK. p.shaw@iop.kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brierley
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: David
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D000679:Amygdala / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003423:Critical Period, Psychological; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018302:Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000254:growth & development / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects