Threat perception and targeting: the brainstem-amygdala-cortex alarm system in action?

Optimizing our responses to physical threats is of clear adaptive value, yet influences of threat perception specific to visual guidance of action have received little attention. Here, we assess effects of threat perception on a targeting task, finding improved performance for peripheral targets relative to central targets. These effects of threat were absent either when the task did not involve targeting or when targeting followed high-arousal, positive-valence stimuli. Additionally, the effects of threat showed a nasal- versus temporal-visual hemifield asymmetry and were absent when target stimuli isolated S-cone photoreceptor function. These findings suggest that the superior colliculus, which is activated following threat perception, shows clear visual-field asymmetry, receives no direct S-cone-based inputs from the retina, and forms part of a hypothesized direct brainstem-amygdala-cortex alarm system, mediates this effect.