Nicotine accelerates the escalation of alcohol self-administration, associated with Fos induction in the BNST. Top, Number of Fos-immunoreactive nuclei per millimeter squared in the juxtacapsular bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (jcBNST). Middle, Number of Fos-immunoreactive nuclei per millimeter squared in the posterolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (plBNST). Bottom, Number of Fos-immunoreactive nuclei per millimeter squared in the ventrolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (vlBNST). *p < 0.05, different from the other groups; n = 6–8 per group.