LHAad PNN/ECM degradation blocks cue-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking. a Timeline of the experiment. b Depiction of the targeted region characterized by robust PNN/ECM expression using WFA. This area is the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), anterior region (LHAa), dorsal (LHAd) zone (LHAad) ventromedial to the internal capsule (int). c Strong PNN/ECM expression in the LHAad is abolished by Ch-ABC administration. d SA active lever presses, e SA reinforced lever presses, and f EXT active lever presses. g SA inactive lever presses, and h EXT inactive lever presses. i Active lever presses in the first 30-min of the last extinction session compared to the 30 min cue-induced reinstatement session, and j inactive lever presses during the 30 min cue-induced reinstatement session (Data are mean ± SEM). Differences were considered significant when *p < 0.05. k Injection sites in cocaine trained animals that received intra-LHAad microinjection of vehicle (black circles; n = 7) and Ch-ABC (gray circles; n = 9)