Imagine a line bisecting your head from ear to ear. On that line, behind each of your eyes, lie a pair of neural nuggets collectively known as the amygdala. The amygdala is surprisingly versatile—more little black dress than, say, cummerbund. It’s part of the eating system, sex system, addiction system, and while it is not the only part of the brain responsible for handling fear, it is the linchpin of the fear system. It receives sensory information—the sight of a snarling dog, the sound of a bus hurtling toward us—and jump-starts a reaction. It’s our fire alarm, designed to detect and respond
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