The amygdala is situated immediately prior to (in front of) the hippocampus in the medial temporal lobe.
The amygdala is involved in the generation and retrieval of emotional and fear-related memories, as well as the display of fear, aggressiveness, and species-specific defense behavior.
It is a part of the limbic system.
Amygdala damage in adults typically results from an amygdalohippocampectomy or temporal lobectomy as part of surgical therapy for medically untreatable epilepsy.
The amygdala will often exhibit pathological alterations like sclerosis in these situations.