Amygdalar-Frontal Pathway

The 'amygdalar-frontal pathway' refers to the neural connections between the 'amygdala', a key limbic structure involved in emotion processing, and the 'prefrontal cortex' (PFC), which is critical for executive function and emotional regulation.

• Amygdala:
  • Processes emotional stimuli, especially fear and threat.
  • Detects salient environmental cues.

• Prefrontal Cortex (PFC):
  • Involved in decision-making, impulse control, and emotion regulation.
  • Relevant regions include the ventromedial (vmPFC), dorsolateral (dlPFC), and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC).

• Connectivity:
  • Bidirectional communication:
    • 'Bottom-up': emotional salience signals from the amygdala to the PFC.
    • 'Top-down': regulatory control from the PFC to the amygdala.
  • Key white matter tracts:
    • Uncinate fasciculus
    • Cingulum bundle
    • Extreme capsule

Alterations in this pathway are implicated in various psychiatric and neurological conditions:

• Anxiety disorders
• Major depressive disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Substance use disorders
• Neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., autism, ADHD)