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Topic: dPAG neurons

ePoster
3 ePosters

In Neuroscience

ePoster · Neuroscience

A Biophysical Mechanism for Changing the Threat Sensitivity of Escape Behavior

Yaara Lefler, Yeqing Wang, Goncalo Ferreira, Tiago Branco · COSYNE 2023

Sat, Mar 11, 2023

Animals faced with predatorial threats innately react by escaping to safety. Although escape is instinctive, it is also flexible enough to adapt to dynamic changes in the environment. For example, animals adapt to the risk of predation by increasing escape probability when there is a higher incidence of predator attacks. This flexibility is critical for maximizing the adaptiveness of behavioural choices, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. It has recently been shown that activation of neurons in the dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG) is the main step for commanding escape initiation. Her

ePoster · Neuroscience

Periaqueductal Gray Neurons are All-or-none Threat Gates Modulated by Escape Experience

Yaara Lefler, Alex Fudge, Yeqing Wang, Goncalo Ferreira, Tiago Branco · COSYNE 2025

When confronted with immediate threats, selecting the appropriate behavior at the right moment is essential for survival. Animals must constantly process information from the environment to accurately identify potential danger and respond by escaping to safety. While escape is largely instinctive, it is also adaptable, allowing animals to adjust to changing environmental conditions and internal states. The superior colliculus and dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG) play a crucial role in the neural circuitry responsible for processing threatening cues and triggering escape responses. However, th

ePoster · Neuroscience

A biophysical mechanism for changing the threat sensitivity of escape behaviour

Yaara Lefler, Yeqing Wang, Goncalo Ferreira, Tiago Branco · FENS Forum 2024

Animals faced with predatorial threats innately react by escaping to safety. Although escape is instinctive, it is also flexible enough to adapt to dynamic changes in the environment. For example, animals adapt to the risk of predation by increasing escape probability when there is a higher incidence of predator attacks. This flexibility is critical for maximizing the adaptiveness of behavioural choices, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Previous work has shown that activation of neurons in the dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG) is the main step for commanding escape initiation. Here w