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Corticostriatal control of defense behavior in mice induced by auditory looming cues

Author

Listed:
  • Zhong Li

    (University of Southern California)

  • Jin-Xing Wei

    (University of Southern California)

  • Guang-Wei Zhang

    (University of Southern California)

  • Junxiang J. Huang

    (University of Southern California
    Program in Biomedical and Biological Sciences, University of Southern California)

  • Brian Zingg

    (University of Southern California
    Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California)

  • Xiyue Wang

    (University of Southern California
    Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California)

  • Huizhong W. Tao

    (University of Southern California
    University of Southern California)

  • Li I. Zhang

    (University of Southern California
    University of Southern California)

Abstract

Animals exhibit innate defense behaviors in response to approaching threats cued by the dynamics of sensory inputs of various modalities. The underlying neural circuits have been mostly studied in the visual system, but remain unclear for other modalities. Here, by utilizing sounds with increasing (vs. decreasing) loudness to mimic looming (vs. receding) objects, we find that looming sounds elicit stereotypical sequential defensive reactions: freezing followed by flight. Both behaviors require the activity of auditory cortex, in particular the sustained type of responses, but are differentially mediated by corticostriatal projections primarily innervating D2 neurons in the tail of the striatum and corticocollicular projections to the superior colliculus, respectively. The behavioral transition from freezing to flight can be attributed to the differential temporal dynamics of the striatal and collicular neurons in their responses to looming sound stimuli. Our results reveal an essential role of the striatum in the innate defense control.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhong Li & Jin-Xing Wei & Guang-Wei Zhang & Junxiang J. Huang & Brian Zingg & Xiyue Wang & Huizhong W. Tao & Li I. Zhang, 2021. "Corticostriatal control of defense behavior in mice induced by auditory looming cues," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-21248-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21248-7
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhong Li & Bo Peng & Junxiang J. Huang & Yuan Zhang & Michelle B. Seo & Qi Fang & Guang-Wei Zhang & Xiaohui Zhang & Li I. Zhang & Huizhong Whit Tao, 2023. "Enhancement and contextual modulation of visuospatial processing by thalamocollicular projections from ventral lateral geniculate nucleus," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, December.
    2. Christopher F. Angeloni & Wiktor MÅ‚ynarski & Eugenio Piasini & Aaron M. Williams & Katherine C. Wood & Linda Garami & Ann M. Hermundstad & Maria N. Geffen, 2023. "Dynamics of cortical contrast adaptation predict perception of signals in noise," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-19, December.
    3. Allen P. F. Chen & Jeffrey M. Malgady & Lu Chen & Kaiyo W. Shi & Eileen Cheng & Joshua L. Plotkin & Shaoyu Ge & Qiaojie Xiong, 2022. "Nigrostriatal dopamine pathway regulates auditory discrimination behavior," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.
    4. Allen P. F. Chen & Lu Chen & Kaiyo W. Shi & Eileen Cheng & Shaoyu Ge & Qiaojie Xiong, 2023. "Nigrostriatal dopamine modulates the striatal-amygdala pathway in auditory fear conditioning," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.

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