amygdala

ストレスと心臓病の関係性についての記事からです。

Brain activity 'key in stress link to heart disease'

The effect of constant stress on a deep-lying region of the brain explains the increased risk of heart attack, a study in The Lancet suggests.
In a study of 300 people, those with higher activity in the amygdala were more likely to develop cardiovascular disease - and sooner than others.
Stress could be as important a risk factor as smoking and high blood pressure, the US researchers said.
Heart experts said at-risk patients should be helped to manage stress.
Emotional stress has long been linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which affects the heart and blood vessels - but the way this happens has not been properly understood.
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-38584975

今回取り上げる単語は"amygdala" /æ̀mɪɡdɑ́lə/です。
手持ちの辞書を確認してみても意味が掲載されていなかったのでネットで調べてみました。
英辞郎on the WEBでは、医療用語で「扁桃(体)」という意味がありました。"AM"と略して表すことができます。
他にもtonsilliticで「扁桃炎」や、"paristhmion"や"tonsil"で「扁桃腺」など、「扁桃」を表す単語がいくつかありました。
今回は"activity in the amygdala"なので「扁桃体の活動」と解釈できます。(Akim)