Fig. 4: Inhibiting the CRH/GABA BLA → NAc projection rescues reward deficits following early-life adversity.
From: Stress-induced plasticity of a CRH/GABA projection disrupts reward behaviors in mice
a Timeline and environment (limited bedding and nesting) of ELA. b–d ELA reduced palatable food consumption (n = 16 mice; TR = 10, ELA = 6), yet did not alter regular chow consumption (n = 20 mice; TR = 9, ELA = 11). ELA reduced preference for a sex-cue (n = 16 mice; TR = 8, ELA = 8) and preference for sucrose (n = 15 mice; TR = 7, ELA = 8). e Inhibiting the hM4Di+ CRH/GABA BLA → NAc projection with microinfusion of CNO in the medial NAc shell increased palatable food consumption (n = 9 mice) and f preference for a sex-cue (n = 8 mice). However, stimulating the hM3Dq+ CRH/GABA BLA → NAc did not influence g palatable food consumption (n = 9 mice) or h the preference for a sex-cue (n = 7 mice). In b–d, bars represent mean ± SEM; in e–h bars represent mean. Two-sided unpaired t-tests (b, d), two-sided unpaired U-test (c), two-sided paired t-tests (e–h). b TR vs. ELA main: P = 0.0001, inset: P = 0.1263; c TR vs. ELA: P = 0.0281; d TR vs. ELA: P = 0.0053; e ELA hM4Di BLA → NAc: P = 0.0035; f ELA hM4Di BLA → NAc: P = 0.0170; g ELA hM3Dq BLA → NAc: P = 0.1375; h ELA hM3Dq BLA → NAc: P = 0.6267. Gray = typical reared, mauve = ELA/ELA + vehicle, pink = ELA + CNO. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.
