{
  "abstract": "Here, we present the amygdalostriatal transition zone (ASt) as a missing piece of a highly conserved process of paramount importance for survival, which represents an internal state (e.g. fear) that can be expressed in multiple motor outputs (e.g. freezing or escape). From in vivo cellular resolution recordings that include both electrophysiology and calcium imaging, we find that ASt neurons are sparse coding, extremely high signal-to-noise, and maintain a sustained response for negative valence stimuli for the duration of the defensive behavior. Photostimulation of the ASt is sufficient to drive freezing and avoidance behaviors. Using single-nucleus RNA sequencing and in situ RNA labelling we find the ASt is genetically distinct from adjacent striatal and amygdalar structures. Using in vivo calcium imaging, we find that the Drd2+ population encodes negative valence, and find that optogenetic inhibition of Drd2+ ASt neurons reduces cue-conditioned fear responses. Funding Information: K.M.T. is an HHMI Investigator and the Wylie Vale chair at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and this work was supported by funding from the JPB Foundation, the PIIF, PNDRF, JFDP, New York Stem Cell Foundation, Klingenstein Foundation, McKnight Foundation, The Salk Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Clayton Foundation, Kavli Foundation, Dolby Family Fund, R01-MH115920 (NIMH), R37-MH102441 (NIMH), the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award DP2- DK102256 (NIDDK) and Pioneer Award DP1-AT009925 (NCCIH). F.M. was supported by a CIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship and a K99/R00 NIH Pathways to Independence Award (K99 MH121563). H.L. was supported by a K99/R00 NIH Pathways to Independence Award (K99 DA055111-01). R.R.P. was supported by a K99/R00 NIH Pathways to Independence Award (K99 AA029180). S.S. was supported by China Scholarship Council grant 201806010370. Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: All experimental procedures were carried out in accordance with NIH guidelines and approval of the Salk Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA; University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. Electronic address: fergil@neuro.utah.edu",
    "Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA; University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA",
    "University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA",
    "Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA",
    "University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA",
    "Peking University, Beijing, China",
    "Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA; University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA",
    "Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA",
    "Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA",
    "University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA",
    "Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, USA",
    "Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA; University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA; Kavli Institute for the Brain and Mind, La Jolla, CA, USA. Electronic address: tye@salk.edu"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 32,
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    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Fergil Mills",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1413-6713"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Christopher R. Lee",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5952-9924"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "James R. Howe",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5312-5972"
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    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Hao Li",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8710-1290"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Maria N. Keisler"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Shan Shao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Felix Taschbach",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5345-5787"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Mackenzie Lemieux",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-6015-8668"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7
      ],
      "name": "Faith Aloboudi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7
      ],
      "name": "Jesse White"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7
      ],
      "name": "May G. Chan",
      "orcid": "0009-0005-6664-3521"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Matilde Borio"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7
      ],
      "name": "Laurel R. Keyes",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5433-9948"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        8
      ],
      "name": "Hannah S. Chen",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0765-2269"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        9
      ],
      "name": "Fabiha Bushra"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7
      ],
      "name": "Gates P. Schneider"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        9
      ],
      "name": "Dani P. Lemmon",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-6985-7438"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        9
      ],
      "name": "Kyung J. Lee",
      "orcid": "0009-0005-3726-5234"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        10
      ],
      "name": "Alexa L. Gross"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Kanha Batra",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-6401-4274"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Reesha R. Patel",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-3913-6311"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Meenakshi M. Asokan",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5560-0279"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7
      ],
      "name": "Jeremy Delahanty",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4200-3352"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Christian Cazares",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8899-2109"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        9
      ],
      "name": "Christopher R Heyman"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        9
      ],
      "name": "Nicholas B Poll",
      "orcid": "0009-0005-8197-7343"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
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      "name": "Liezl Maree",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9781-3627"
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    {
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      "name": "Romy Wichmann",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4506-8813"
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    {
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      "name": "Talmo Pereira",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-9075-8365"
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    {
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      "name": "Marcus K. Benna"
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      "name": "Cory M. Root",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-0193-8183"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        11
      ],
      "name": "Kay M. Tye",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2435-0182"
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  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/140h4mt9jqhr0.bib",
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  "doi": "10.1016/j.neuron.2026.08.012",
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  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
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  "pmcid": "PMC13592531",
  "pmid": "42735685",
  "published": "2026-09-01",
  "publisher": "Cell Press",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/140h4mt9jqhr0.ris",
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  "title": "Amygdalostriatal transition zone neurons encode sustained cue responses to guide defensive behaviors",
  "title_text": "Amygdalostriatal transition zone neurons encode sustained cue responses to guide defensive behaviors",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-09T13:21:12Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/140h4mt9jqhr0",
  "venue": "Neuron",
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