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Journal Article
Midbrain circuits for defensive behaviour
2016
Overview
Survival in threatening situations depends on the selection and rapid execution of an appropriate active or passive defensive response, yet the underlying brain circuitry is not understood. Here we use circuit-based optogenetic,
in vivo
and
in vitro
electrophysiological, and neuroanatomical tracing methods to define midbrain periaqueductal grey circuits for specific defensive behaviours. We identify an inhibitory pathway from the central nucleus of the amygdala to the ventrolateral periaqueductal grey that produces freezing by disinhibition of ventrolateral periaqueductal grey excitatory outputs to pre-motor targets in the magnocellular nucleus of the medulla. In addition, we provide evidence for anatomical and functional interaction of this freezing pathway with long-range and local circuits mediating flight. Our data define the neuronal circuitry underlying the execution of freezing, an evolutionarily conserved defensive behaviour, which is expressed by many species including fish, rodents and primates. In humans, dysregulation of this ‘survival circuit’ has been implicated in anxiety-related disorders.
A combination of optogenetic, electrophysiological and neuroanatomical tracing methods defines midbrain periaqueductal grey circuits for specific defensive behaviours.
Brain circuits choosing the response to threat
A mouse perceiving a threat has a choice between two principal means of defence: active flight or a passive 'freeze'. Andreas Lüthi and colleagues have used a combination of optogenetic, electrophysiological and neuroanatomical tracing to identify the neural circuits underlying the control of these different strategies. They identify a pathway from the amygdala to the periaqueductal grey that not only mediates freezing, but also interacts with circuits mediating flight. Freezing is an evolutionarily conserved behaviour in many species, including fish, rodents and primates. In humans, dysregulation of this 'survival circuit' has been implicated in anxiety-related disorders.
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing Group
Subject
/ 64
/ 64/60
/ Animals
/ Behavior
/ Brain
/ Escape Reaction - physiology
/ Freezing
/ Freezing Reaction, Cataleptic - physiology
/ GABAergic Neurons - physiology
/ Humanities and Social Sciences
/ Male
/ Medulla Oblongata - cytology
/ Medulla Oblongata - physiology
/ Mice
/ Neural Inhibition - physiology
/ Neural Pathways - physiology
/ Neuroanatomical Tract-Tracing Techniques
/ Neurons
/ Periaqueductal Gray - cytology
/ Periaqueductal Gray - physiology
/ Science
