A brain chemical tells when to fight or flee

Nitric oxide turns off urge to fight, making battered crickets flee a face-off

cricket

BRAWL OR BOLT  A Mediterranean field cricket depends on its nerve cells to release nitric oxide to help it decide when it’s beat in a fight and needs to flee.

Paul A. Stevenson, Jan Rillich

When it comes to fight or flight for brawling crickets, a chemical in the brain is in charge.