During high stress situations such as making a goal in soccer, some athletes experience a rapid decline in performance under pressure, known as 'choking.' Now, researchers have uncovered what might be behind the phenomenon: one-way signals from the brain's emotion circuit to the movement circuit. The study could lead to new strategies for treating disorders with disrupted movement, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety and depression, along with aiding in recovery from spinal cord injuries or physical performance under pressure.