Fig. 4.

Effect of RMTg inhibition attenuates withdrawal-induced increase in anxiety-like behavior. a Schematic depiction of experimental design and b cannula termination sites. CIE-exposed rats that received a microinfusion of saline into the RMTg during withdrawal exhibited a significant increase in anxiety-like behavior compared to AIR controls treated similarly. This effect was attenuated following microinfusion of muscimol into the RMTg during (c–e) light–dark box testing [AIR + saline, n = 8; CIE + saline, n = 7; AIR + muscimol, n = 9; CIE + muscimol, n = 8], (f–h) open field [AIR + saline, n = 10; CIE + saline, n = 8; AIR + muscimol, n = 8; CIE + muscimol, n = 9], and (i–k) elevated plus maze [AIR + saline, n = 8; CIE + saline, n = 7; AIR + muscimol, n = 8; CIE + muscimol, n = 7]. ^#p ≤ 0.06; *p ≤ 0.05; **p ≤ 0.01; ***p ≤ 0.001; ns = not significant