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The new research suggests that fear is not a single thing; rather, it is a complex, ever-changing strategy that mammal brains deploy to cope with danger. When a prey sees a predator at the distance, the prey powers up a forebrain network that primes its body, raising the heartbeat and preparing it for fast action, and it sharpens the brain’s attention to the outside world by evaluating threats, monitoring subtle changes, and running through possible responses. The forebrain network also keeps the midbrain network shut down so that, instead of fleeing at top speed, the prey keeps very still at first. As the predator gets closer, the forebrain’s grip on the midbrain loosens and it midbrain initiates a fight or flight response. At the same time, it shuts down the slower, more deliberative forebrain; this is not a time for thinking.

The predator-defense response has helped mammals, including humans, survive for millions of years. However, humans may also imagine threats that do not exist that may lead to crippling chronic anxiety. Some people are not able to keep their periaqueductal gray and other midbrain regions under control. As we perceive predators getting closer, our brains normally make the switch from the forebrain to the midbrain regions; however, people who suffer panic disorders may misjudge threats, seeing them far more imminent than they really are.

In modern day society, we as humans are still faced with predators; and, as has been for eons, our biggest predators are other humans. As martial artists, we must learn how to recognize our predators, and learn how to outsmart them and defeat them, or, if necessary, how to eliminate them. 

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