Maury Cole

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors found that increased intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) reward thresholds also accompany abstinence from chronic ethanol exposure sufficient to induce physical dependence.

TL;DR: Results indicate that operant responding for ethanol was enhanced during protracted abstinence by 30–100% and remained elevated for 4–8 weeks post acute withdrawal, which has important implications for understanding the characteristics and mechanisms underlying vulnerability to relapse.

TL;DR: The data suggest that the reinforcing effects of EtOH and neurotransmitter pathways mediating reward are altered after the development of dependence, and they support the use of this paradigm for further investigations into the neuropharmacological mechanisms mediating reinforcement in dependent versus nondependent animals.

TL;DR: Initial pharmacological studies suggest that manipulation of the CRF system in the CeA can block this increased alcohol intake, and additional behavioral validation and initial pharmacological validation of this withdrawal-associated drinking procedure are provided.

TL;DR: These studies, using both a pharmacological and genetic approach, support a critical role for the CRF(1) system in ethanol self-administration following dependence, and a model is presented that may be useful for studies examining underlying mechanisms of the ethanol addiction process as well as for testing potential therapeutics.