Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Nociception01:44

Nociception

33.5K
Nociception—the ability to feel pain—is essential for an organism’s survival and overall well-being. Noxious stimuli such as piercing pain from a sharp object, heat from an open flame, or contact with corrosive chemicals are first detected by sensory receptors, called nociceptors, located on nerve endings. Nociceptors express ion channels that convert noxious stimuli into electrical signals. When these signals reach the brain via sensory neurons, they are perceived as pain.
33.5K
Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System01:15

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

8.2K
The limbic system, often called the "emotional brain," is a complex set of structures located deep within the brain. The intricate network of the limbic system supports a wide range of psychological functions, from emotional regulation to memory formation and sensory processing. This functional brain region encompasses specific parts of the diencephalon and the cerebrum, integrating the higher mental functions of the cerebral cortex with the primitive emotional responses of the deep brain...
8.2K
Role of Amygdala in Memory01:16

Role of Amygdala in Memory

1.4K
The amygdala is a small, almond-shaped structure responsible for processing and storing memories, particularly those linked to emotions like fear and stress. It plays an essential role in the brain's response to emotionally significant events and often enhances memory formation by triggering stress hormone release. The amygdala is vital for encoding and retrieving memories associated with fear or stress, a process that is adaptive by helping organisms avoid dangerous situations.
One of the...
1.4K
Pain01:20

Pain

1.6K
Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...
1.6K
Physiology of Emotion01:20

Physiology of Emotion

3.7K
The physiology of emotions is a multifaceted process involving the autonomic nervous system, brain structures, hormones, and neurotransmitters. This intricate interplay dictates how emotions manifest in the body and influence behavior.
Autonomic Nervous System
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a critical role in emotional responses by regulating involuntary physiological functions. It consists of two main components: the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. The sympathetic system...
3.7K
Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

Analgesia and Pain Management

2.4K
Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
2.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Transsynaptic complex dysfunction in the hippocampus of Alzheimer's disease patients.

Frontiers in aging neuroscience·2026
Same author

Identification of a central CGRP circuit for trigeminal V1-mediated migraine-like pain in mice.

Brain : a journal of neurology·2026
Same author

Sex-dependent central amygdala physiology after supradural CGRP exposure is associated with migraine-like behaviors.

The journal of headache and pain·2026
Same author

Molecular Signatures of Maladaptive Plasticity in the Amygdala in a Rat Model of Chronic Neuropathic Pain.

Cells·2026
Same author

Descending inhibitory rostral ventromedial medulla neurons cause widespread antinociception and contribute to the pain-inhibits-pain phenomenon.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Influence of ginger root extract supplementation on the microbiota-gut-brain axis in individuals with sciatica: Study protocol for a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial.

Clinical nutrition ESPEN·2026
Same journal

Endothelial Cell Phenotypic Plasticity in Atherosclerosis.

Handbook of experimental pharmacology·2026
Same journal

Endothelial Dysfunction and Neurovascular Alterations in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Handbook of experimental pharmacology·2026
Same journal

Molecular Mechanisms of Endothelial Shear Stress Mechanotransduction in Health and Disease.

Handbook of experimental pharmacology·2026
Same journal

Microvasculature of the Pancreatic Islets of Langerhans in Health and Diabetes.

Handbook of experimental pharmacology·2026
Same journal

Mechanisms of Actions of Physiological, Pharmacological, and Toxicological Dietary Bioactive Inorganic Boron.

Handbook of experimental pharmacology·2026
Same journal

BNCT Plus Luminescence: New Paradigm for Boron-Containing Drug Design.

Handbook of experimental pharmacology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 2, 2026

Intracranial Pharmacotherapy and Pain Assays in Rodents
02:26

Intracranial Pharmacotherapy and Pain Assays in Rodents

Published on: April 9, 2019

5.9K

Amygdala pain mechanisms.

Volker Neugebauer1

  • 1Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Center for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX, 79430-6592, USA, volker.neugebauer@ttuhsc.edu.

Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology
|April 8, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The amygdala

More Related Videos

Ex Vivo Optogenetic Dissection of Fear Circuits in Brain Slices
11:13

Ex Vivo Optogenetic Dissection of Fear Circuits in Brain Slices

Published on: April 5, 2016

16.9K
How to Detect Amygdala Activity with Magnetoencephalography using Source Imaging
10:48

How to Detect Amygdala Activity with Magnetoencephalography using Source Imaging

Published on: June 3, 2013

22.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 2, 2026

Intracranial Pharmacotherapy and Pain Assays in Rodents
02:26

Intracranial Pharmacotherapy and Pain Assays in Rodents

Published on: April 9, 2019

5.9K
Ex Vivo Optogenetic Dissection of Fear Circuits in Brain Slices
11:13

Ex Vivo Optogenetic Dissection of Fear Circuits in Brain Slices

Published on: April 5, 2016

16.9K
How to Detect Amygdala Activity with Magnetoencephalography using Source Imaging
10:48

How to Detect Amygdala Activity with Magnetoencephalography using Source Imaging

Published on: June 3, 2013

22.9K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pain Research
  • Emotional Processing

Background:

  • The amygdala, a limbic brain area, is crucial for emotional responses, affective disorders, and the emotional aspects of pain.
  • Hyperactivity in the laterocapsular division of the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeLC) drives pain-related emotions and anxiety.
  • This hyperactivity stems from an imbalance in excitatory and inhibitory neural mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the neural circuitry underlying pain-related emotional responses and anxiety.
  • To investigate the role of inhibitory control within the amygdala and its cortical connections in pain modulation.
  • To understand how impaired inhibitory mechanisms contribute to persistent pain processing.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of neural circuits involving the amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and intercalated cell masses (ITC).
  • Examination of synaptic plasticity in excitatory inputs to the CeLC.
  • Investigation of inhibitory control deficits mediated by GABAergic interneurons in the ITC.

Main Results:

  • Impaired inhibitory control by ITC GABAergic interneurons allows aberrant synaptic plasticity in the CeLC.
  • Hyperactivity in the lateral-basolateral amygdala network (LA-BLA) leads to excessive inhibition of the mPFC.
  • Deactivation of the mPFC impairs cognitive functions and cortical control over amygdala pain processing.

Conclusions:

  • Dysfunctional inhibitory mechanisms in the amygdala and its cortical connections are central to pain-related emotional disorders.
  • Restoring inhibitory control within the amygdala-mPFC circuit may offer therapeutic targets for chronic pain and anxiety.
  • Aberrant amygdala hyperactivity, driven by impaired inhibition, perpetuates maladaptive pain responses.