amygdala hijack
n.— «How we deal with stress, challenge and conflict has roots deep in human evolution. The problem: In times of great stress or crisis, our limbic brains literally take over the rest of the brain. In the emotional intelligence arena, this is referred to as an “amygdala hijack,” meaning the reptilian part of the brain (the amygdala) has taken over for the more advanced, cognitive part of the brain.» —“Workplace Coach: How a leader responds to stress sets tone for everyone” by Maureen Moriarty Post-Intelligencer (Seattle, Washington) June 10, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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