Figure 5.

CRF immunoreactivity in the CeA. Ethanol dependence was induced by intermittent exposure to ethanol vapors for 4 weeks, and animals were killed after 2 h of withdrawal. Brains were removed and CRF expression was measured in the central nucleus of the amygdala using immunohistochemical techniques. The data are expressed as the relative density of CRF immunoreactivity (n = 3 animals). A, CRF immunoreactivity was measured from five serial sections throughout the CeA. From bregma, these sections were −2.12, −2.30, −2.56, −2.80, and −3.14 mm. There was a significant decrease in CRF immunoreactivity in the CeA at bregma −2.80 and −3.14 mm in withdrawn, dependent animals relative to control. B, Representative micrographs (20×) from the CeA (bregma −2.80 mm) demonstrating CRF staining within this brain region. *p < 0.01 compared with nondependent animals. Error bars indicate SEM.