Figure 5.

Sex differences in CeA Crh mRNA: β‐Endorphin (β‐E) is inversely associated with CeA Crh in female, but not male, mice. Crh mRNA expression from mice consuming either EtOH and water (solid bars) or water controls (hatched bars) is represented as mean fold change (±SEM) normalized to β‐E +/+ female water mice as indicated by the dashed line. A three‐way ANOVA revealed a genotype by sex interaction and a genotype by treatment interaction. Post hoc analysis following the genotype by sex interaction indicated that β‐E −/− and β‐E +/− female mice exhibit higher CeA Crh than β‐E +/+ female mice; however, these effects were not observed in male mice. Post hoc analysis following the genotype by treatment interaction indicated that binge‐like EtOH consumption reduced Crh only in β‐E −/− mice (*), which was likely driven by the magnitude of reduction in β‐E −/− female mice. Like symbols indicate significant differences between groups (P < 0.05; Bonferroni corrected); n for each group are displayed within their respective bar