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Ventral tegmental area circuits in defensive states: Emerging mechanisms of fear and anxiety
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DOI：10.1016/j.tins.2026.06.008.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Threat stimuli of diverse sensory modalities—including visual, nociceptive (painful), tactile, and olfactory inputs—activate neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). The encoding of threat by VTA neurons plays a critical role in defensive behaviors. In rodents, VTA glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons are causally required for initiating specific defensive behaviors, such as freezing, hiding, and escaping. VTA dopaminergic neurons display heterogeneous patterns of aversive encoding. Notably, a specific subset of these neurons modulates aggression toward conspecifics. Alterations in VTA neuronal activity due to genetic or environmental factors can shift defensive thresholds and may contribute to maladaptive anxiety-related states.
Keywords:
dopamine
aversive processing
threat imminence
midbrain circuitry
stress
motivational conflict
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