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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

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



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.


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