近日，丹麦哥本哈根大学教授Ole Kiehn及其小组的研究开发出了下丘脑-脑干回路控制着安全优先于基本需求。2025年5月28日，国际知名学术期刊《自然—神经科学》发表了这一成果。

小组在无主题的下丘脑外侧区（LHA）发现了一类谷氨酸能神经元，其目标是中脑促进运动的桥脚核（PPN）。激活后，这种LHA-PPN通路协调情境依赖的运动，优先考虑安全导向的运动，而不是其他基本需求，如觅食或社会联系。值得注意的是，这个回路的神经元活动与寻求安全的行为直接相关。神经回路可能对内在和外在的线索都有反应，在确保生存方面起着关键作用。他们的发现揭示了下丘脑外侧区域内的一个电路基序，当它被激活时，通过适当的运动动作来优先考虑关键需求。

据悉，动物不断调整自己的行为来平衡生存和满足基本需求。这种平衡行为包括安全优先于追求其他需求。然而，与运动回路一起调节寻求安全行为的特定脑深部回路仍然知之甚少。

附：英文原文

Title: A hypothalamus–brainstem circuit governs the prioritization of safety over essential needs

Author: Krauth, Nathalie, Sach, Lara K., Sitzia, Giacomo, Clemmensen, Christoffer, Kiehn, Ole

Issue&Volume: 2025-05-28

Abstract: Animals continuously adapt their behavior to balance survival and fulfilling essential needs. This balancing act involves prioritization of safety over the pursuit of other needs. However, the specific deep brain circuits that regulate safety-seeking behaviors in conjunction with motor circuits remain poorly understood. Here, we identify a class of glutamatergic neurons in the mouse lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) that target the midbrain locomotor-promoting pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN). Following activation, this LHA–PPN pathway orchestrates context-dependent locomotion, prioritizing safety-directed movement over other essential needs such as foraging or social contact. Remarkably, the neuronal activity of this circuit correlates directly with safety-seeking behavior. The circuit may respond to both intrinsic and extrinsic cues, having a pivotal role in ensuring survival. Our findings uncover a circuit motif within the lateral hypothalamus that, when recruited, prioritizes critical needs through the recruitment of an appropriate motor action.

DOI: 10.1038/s41593-025-01975-6

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-025-01975-6