Nature Communications (Mar 2019)

Inactivation of a CRF-dependent amygdalofugal pathway reverses addiction-like behaviors in alcohol-dependent rats

  • Giordano de Guglielmo,
  • Marsida Kallupi,
  • Matthew B. Pomrenze,
  • Elena Crawford,
  • Sierra Simpson,
  • Paul Schweitzer,
  • George F. Koob,
  • Robert O. Messing,
  • Olivier George

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-09183-0
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 1
pp. 1 – 11

Abstract

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Withdrawal from alcohol activates neurons in the central amygdala (CeA) and increases craving for alcohol. The authors show that these neurons predominantly express CRF and project to the BNST. Inactivation of this pathway reduces the dependence-related escalation of alcohol drinking.