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The amygdala is a small, almond-shaped region deep within the brain that plays a central role in processing emotions, particularly fear and anxiety. It also contributes to assessing the emotional significance of experiences, including those related to food and dietary choices.
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Editorial responsibilityReferences and further reading
- Baxter MG, Croxson PL. Emotion, decision making, and the amygdala. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 2009;1156:50-61. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2008.03750.x. View source
- Butler, M. J., Blackwell, J. A., Sanchez, A. A., et al. (2026). The aged amygdala’s unique sensitivity to refined diets, independent of fat or sugar content: A brain region and cell type-specific analysis. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 132, 106220. View source
How to cite this entry
CNP (2026). Amygdala. In CNP Encyclopedia Editorial Board (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Nutritional Psychology. The Center for Nutritional Psychology.
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