Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.05.26.117598v1?rss=1 Authors: Vale, R., Campagner, D., Iordanidou, P., Arocas, O. P., Tan, Y. L., Stempel, A. V., Sepideh Keshavarzi, S., Petersen, R., Margrie, T., Branco, T. Abstract: When faced with predatorial threats, escaping towards shelter is an adaptive action that offers long-term protection against the attacker. From crustaceans to mammals, animals rely on knowledge of safe locations in the environment to rapidly execute shelter-directed escape actions. While previous work has identified neural mechanisms of instinctive escape, it is not known how the escape circuit incorporates spatial information to execute rapid and accurate flights to safety. Here we show that mouse retrosplenial cortex (RSP) and superior colliculus (SC) form a monosynaptic circuit that continuously encodes the shelter direction. Inactivation of SC-projecting RSP neurons decreases SC shelter-direction tuning while preserving SC motor function. Moreover, specific inactivation of RSP input onto SC neurons disrupts orientation and subsequent escapes to shelter, but not orientation accuracy to a sensory cue. We conclude that the RSC-SC circuit supports an egocentric representation of shelter direction and is necessary for optimal shelter-directed escapes. This cortical-subcortical interface may be a general blueprint for increasing the sophistication and flexibility of instinctive behaviours. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info