Physiological basis for emotional modulation of memory circuits by the amygdala

Classical experiments have demonstrated that the amygdala facilitates synaptic plasticity in other brain structures (e.g. hippocampus, basal ganglia) believed to constitute the storage sites for various types of memory. Here, we summarize new developments in our understanding of how the amygdala facilitates the formation of emotional memories. Recent insights into this question have come from studies relying on simultaneous recording of neurons in multiple brain regions during learning. This approach has revealed that in emotionally arousing conditions, whether positively or negatively valenced, the amygdala allows incoming information to be processed more efficiently in distributed cerebral networks. This review also highlights the need to understand how different brain regions act in parallel to efficiently achieve one goal.