In nature, animals display defensive behaviors that reflect the spatiotemporal distance of
threats. Laboratory-based paradigms that elicit specific defensive responses in rodents have …

The midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) has been recognized for decades as having a
central role in the control of a wide variety of defensive responses. Initial discoveries relied …

Treatment outcomes are strongly influenced by expectations, as evidenced by the placebo
effect. Meta-analyses of clinical trials reveal that placebo effects are strongest in pain …

The periaqueductal gray (PAG) is a critical midbrain hub that relays information from the
forebrain to motor and autonomic brainstem centers to orchestrate instinctive behaviors. The …

The superior colliculus (SC) is a highly conserved area of the mammalian midbrain that is
widely implicated in the organisation and control of behaviour. SC receives input from a …

Core regions of the salience network (SN), including the anterior insula (aINS) and dorsal
anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), coordinate rapid adaptive changes in attentional and …

Innately aversive experiences produce rapid defensive responses and powerful emotional
memories. The midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) drives defensive behaviors through …

During threat exposure, survival depends on defensive reactions. Prior works linked large
glutamatergic populations in the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) to defensive freezing …

Background: Emerging literature suggests that classic psychedelics may have efficacy in
treating mood and substance use disorders in humans. This has raised questions regarding …

Avoidance, a hallmark of anxiety-related psychopathology, often comes at a cost; avoiding
threat may forgo the possibility of a reward. Theories predict that optimal approach …