Emotional state transitions: cellular, molecular and circuit mechanisms of safety, fear, aggression, and trauma

Emotional states in animals are thought to be encoded by the coordinated activity of distributed brain networks, triggered by specific external stimuli. Although the precise definition of emotions remains debated, there is broad agreement that emotional states manifest as overtly observable behaviors, often accompanied by physiological responses. A central unresolved question is whether emotional states are drivers or consequences of behavioral responses, and how neural circuit activity generates, stabilizes and allows transitions between positive (safety and appetitive) and negative (fear, aggression, and trauma) valence states. Understanding how circuit dynamics encode, scale, and switch between safety, fear, aggression, and trauma-associated states is critical for defining the neurobiological mechanisms of adaptive and maladaptive social behaviors.Recent advances in cellular, molecular and system neuroscience techniques including optogenetics, chemogenetics, in vivo calcium imaging, single-cell transcriptomics, epigenetics and circuit tracing now allow precise dissection of the neural mechanisms underlying emotional state encoding and transitions. These approaches allow integration of cellular identity, synaptic organization, circuit dynamics, and physiological feedback signals with higher accuracy or temporal and spatial resolution, to define how specific emotional outputs are selected and regulated as a response.In this Research Topic, we aim to elucidate cellular, molecular and circuit mechanisms that encode positive (safety and appetitive) or negative (fear, aggression, and trauma) valence states and regulate their scalability, stability, and transition thresholds. Particular emphasis will be placed on how internal physiological signals interact with brain circuits (limbic, hypothalamic, midbrain, and cortical circuits) to influence emotional state selection, transitions, and behavioral output. Studying these clinically relevant mechanisms has direct translational relevance for maladaptive emotional regulation observed in generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), phobias, panic-related conditions, and pathological aggression.To this aim, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to:• Neural circuit architecture underlying positive and negative valence states processing. • Coordination between sensory neural networks with limbic and motor output systems in shaping emotional perception and behavioral response.• Neuromodulatory and hormonal control of emotional state transitions and escalation. • Cellular, molecular, and epigenetic adaptations following stress, trauma, or environmental challenges, eliciting emotional state changes. • Excitatory-inhibitory balance and circuit dynamics underlying emotional state regulation and transitions.• Neural encoding and synaptic mechanisms underlying the integration of competing or conflicting emotional states.• Mechanisms governing escalation from defensive fear to aggressive responses. Topic editors: Chandrashekhar Borkar, Christian Bravo-Rivera Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79044/emotional-state-transitions-cellular-molecular-and-circuit-mechanisms-of-safety-fear-aggression-and-trauma