Is there something WRONG with your Medulla Oblongata?

Amygdala

Greek word for almond and tonsil.  The Amygdala is also the anatomical name for a very specific region in the mammalian brain.  It is located in the medial temporal lobes of the brain, and its comprised of a cluster of nuclei forming the shape of an "almond".  The known primary role of this region is to processes and store/recall Emotional Reactions and Events.  This helps regulate your fear and fight or flight reactions.

     Recent studies have shown a direct correlation with the size of the Amygdala and the size of an individual's social network.  The bigger the Amygdala the larger the social circle an individual reported having.  I found this very interesting...because this in essence is stating that to a certain degree, you are built with the ability to function socially (tangible data..and i love facts!).  Although an argument could be made that large social functioning individuals develop larger Amygdala in response to deal with a "need" for social situations (again worth investigating).  Lets take this one small step deeper in analyzing the ultimate social setting, a relationship.  Can a person with a "small" Amygdala have an inadequate ability to sustain a healthy relationship?  Does an individual with a "large" Amygdala have a better ability to maintain stable relationships?  Interesting if it could be that simple.  Another interesting aspect to the Amygdala is its processing of personal space violations. HypersensitiveToSpaceaAreWe?  With this thought process in hand, researchers are trying to understand how abnormalities in this brain region may impair social behavior in neurologic and psychiatric disorders.
My final word of advice...next time you make a date with someone, make sure they share their MRI's as well...this is Captain Patrick Benson signing off on this Snow filled Tuesday Morning
Be well
Be Safe