---
res:
  bibo_abstract:
  - 'Evading imminent threat from predators is critical for animal survival. Effective
    defensive strategies can vary, even between closely related species. However,
    the neural basis of such species-specific behaviours remains poorly understood1,2,3,4.
    Here we find that two sister species of deer mice (genus Peromyscus)5 show different
    responses to the same looming stimulus: Peromyscus maniculatus, which occupies
    densely vegetated habitats, predominantly escapes, whereas the open field specialist,
    Peromyscus polionotus, briefly freezes. This difference arises from species-specific
    escape thresholds, is largely context-independent, and can be triggered by both
    visual and auditory threat stimuli. Using immunohistochemistry and electrophysiological
    recordings, we find that although visual threat activates the superior colliculus
    in both species, the role of the dorsal periaqueductal grey (dPAG) in driving
    behaviour differs. Whereas dPAG activity scales with running speed in P. maniculatus,
    neural activity in the dPAG of P. polionotus correlates poorly with movement,
    including during visually triggered escape. Moreover, optogenetic activation of
    dPAG neurons elicits acceleration in P. maniculatus but not in P. polionotus,
    and their chemogenetic inhibition during a looming stimulus delays escape onset
    in P. maniculatus to match that of P. polionotus. Together, we trace species-specific
    escape thresholds to a central circuit node, downstream of peripheral sensory
    neurons, localizing an ecologically relevant behavioural difference to a specific
    region of the mammalian brain.@eng'
  bibo_authorlist:
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Felix
      foaf_name: Baier, Felix
      foaf_surname: Baier
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Katja
      foaf_name: Reinhard, Katja
      foaf_surname: Reinhard
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Bram
      foaf_name: Nuttin, Bram
      foaf_surname: Nuttin
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Arnau
      foaf_name: Sans-Dublanc, Arnau
      foaf_surname: Sans-Dublanc
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Chen
      foaf_name: Liu, Chen
      foaf_surname: Liu
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Victoria
      foaf_name: Tong, Victoria
      foaf_surname: Tong
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Julie Stefanie
      foaf_name: Murmann, Julie Stefanie
      foaf_surname: Murmann
      foaf_workInfoHomepage: http://www.librecat.org/personId=1d390868-f128-11eb-9611-a0ca5f7833b5
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Keimpe
      foaf_name: Wierda, Keimpe
      foaf_surname: Wierda
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Karl
      foaf_name: Farrow, Karl
      foaf_surname: Farrow
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Hopi E.
      foaf_name: Hoekstra, Hopi E.
      foaf_surname: Hoekstra
  bibo_doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-09241-2
  bibo_volume: 645
  dct_date: 2025^xs_gYear
  dct_isPartOf:
  - http://id.crossref.org/issn/0028-0836
  - http://id.crossref.org/issn/1476-4687
  dct_language: eng
  dct_publisher: Springer Nature@
  dct_title: The neural basis of species-specific defensive behaviour in Peromyscus
    mice@
  fabio_hasPubmedId: '40702175'
...