A distributed CRF network in rat extended amygdala regulates anxiety and excessive alcohol drinking

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a central regulator of the stress response. Neurons that express CRF are particularly concentrated in the central amygdala (CeA), and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). The role of CeA CRF neurons in anxiety remains controversial. To examine the role of CRF neurons in behavior, we generated a BAC transgenic Crh-Cre rat in which Cre recombinase is expressed from the Crh promoter. Cre+ neurons of these rats are immunoreactive for CRF and are clustered in the lateral CeA (CeL) and in dorsal BNST.
Source: Alcohol - Category: Addiction Authors: Source Type: research