title: Control of chronic excessive alcohol drinking by genetic manipulation of the Edinger-Westphal nucleus urocortin-1 neuropeptide system.
abstract: Midbrain neurons of the centrally projecting Edinger-Westphal nucleus (EWcp) are activated by alcohol, and enriched with stress-responsive neuropeptide modulators (including the paralog of corticotropin-releasing factor, urocortin-1). Evidence suggests that EWcp neurons promote behavioral processes for alcohol-seeking and consumption, but a definitive role for these cells remains elusive. Here we combined targeted viral manipulations and gene array profiling of EWcp neurons with mass behavioral phenotyping in C57BL/6 J mice to directly define the links between EWcp-specific urocortin-1 expression and voluntary binge alcohol intake, demonstrating a specific importance for EWcp urocortin-1 activity in escalation of alcohol intake.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Giardino
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Galili
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.|Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ryabinin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000235:genetics*; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D058999:Drug-Seeking Behavior; D065839:Edinger-Westphal Nucleus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D008297:Male; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D012646:Self Administration; D054832:Urocortins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; C549377:Ucn1 protein, mouse; D054832:Urocortins; D000431:Ethanol