Editor’s Pick: Newly Identified Roles For the Subthalamic Nucleus

This paper suggests new potential functional roles for the subthalamic nucleus (STN). Zhou et al. show that activation of STN promotes movement initiation, and animals with activated STN lose the ability to react cautiously and defer behavior. Thus, the work has direct implications not only for motor control, but also for mechanisms of psychiatric disorders. Moreover, the experimental data presented in the manuscript will greatly benefit the neuroscience community.

— Arvind Kumar, Reviewing Editor

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The Subthalamic Nucleus Controls Action Timing under Threat
Ji Zhou, Muhammad S. Sajid, Sebastian Hormigo, and Manuel A. Castro-Alamancos