Role of corticotropin-releasing factor in the median raphe nucleus in yohimbine-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking in rats

• Published in: Addiction biology Vol. 18; no. 3; pp. 448 - 451
• Main Authors: Lê, A. D., Funk, Douglas, Coen, Kathleen, Li, Zhaoxia, Shaham, Yavin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.05.2013; John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subjects: Addiction; Alcohol self-administration; Animals; Central Nervous System Depressants - administration & dosage; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone - analogs & derivatives; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone - antagonists & inhibitors; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone - pharmacology; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone - physiology; CRF receptors; d-Phe CRF; Drug-Seeking Behavior - drug effects; Ethanol - administration & dosage; Male; median raphe nucleus; Raphe Nuclei - drug effects; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Reinforcement (Psychology); reinstatement; Self Administration; stress; Yohimbine - pharmacology
• ISSN: 1355-6215; 1369-1600
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1369-1600.2011.00374.x

ABSTRACT The pharmacological stressor yohimbine increases ongoing alcohol self‐administration and reinstates alcohol seeking in rats. This effect is attenuated by systemic injections of a corticotropin‐releasing factor (CRF) antagonist. The brain sites involved in CRF's role in yohimbine‐induced alcohol taking and seeking are unknown. We report that injections of the CRF receptor antagonist d‐Phe CRF into the median raphe nucleus (MRN) attenuated yohimbine‐induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking but had no effect on yohimbine‐induced increases in alcohol intake during ongoing self‐administration. Results indicate an important role of MRN CRF receptors in yohimbine‐induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking but not yohimbine‐induced increases in alcohol intake.