Fig. 4: GABA knockdown in BNST CRF-expressing neurons transiently increases ethanol self-administration in male mice. | Neuropsychopharmacology

Fig. 4: GABA knockdown in BNST CRF-expressing neurons transiently increases ethanol self-administration in male mice.

From: Disentangling the effects of corticotrophin releasing factor and GABA release from the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis on ethanol self-administration in mice

Fig. 4

A Male mice with reduced GABA release from BNST-CRF neurons (male shvGAT n = 7) self-administered significantly more ethanol compared with control males (male scramble n = 11), responses on the first 3 days of FR4 (day 1 p = 0.016, Day 2 p = 0.018, day 3 p = 0.024, day 4 p = 0.06). B Reducing GABA release from BNST-CRF neurons did not alter female ethanol active lever responding on an FR4 schedule of reinforcement (Females scramble n = 8, shvGAT n = 8). C Male mice with reduced GABA release from BNST-CRF neurons (male shvGAT n = 7) earned more rewards compared with controls on an FR4 schedule of reinforcement (male scramble n = 11). D Reducing GABA release from BNST-CRF neurons did not alter female rewards earned on a FR4 schedule of reinforcement (Females scramble n = 8, shvGAT n = 8). E Male mice with GABA knockdown in BNST CRF neurons tended to consume more ethanol, but this did not reach significance. F Female mice with GABA knockdown in BNST CRF neurons consumed similar amounts of ethanol as control females. G There were no significant effects of virus or sex for the arithmetic progressive ratio test. H There were no significant effects of virus or sex for the exponential progressive ratio test. I Representative images of viral placement in male mice expressing the control scramble virus and the shvGAT expressing virus (bottom). J Representative images of viral placement in female mice expressing the control scramble virus and the shvGAT expressing virus (bottom).

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