Induction of flight via midbrain projections to the cuneiform nucleus.

The dorsal periaqueductal gray is a midbrain structure implicated in the control of defensive behaviors and the processing of painful stimuli. Electrical stimulation or optogenetic activation of excitatory neurons in dorsal periaqueductal gray results in freezing or flight behavior at low and high intensity, respectively. However, the output structures that mediate these defensive behaviors remain unconfirmed.