FIG. 4.

TBI and alcohol self-administration alter eCB levels in the BLA of female rats. In Expt. 2, BLA eCBs were measured 1 h and 11 days post-TBI (A). One hour post-injury, there is a differential effect of TBI on BLA 2-AG in alcohol naïve and alcohol self-administering animals (B). Anandamide levels are decreased in BLA of alcohol-drinking animals 1 h post-TBI (C). TBI decreases BLA 2-AG (D) but not anandamide (E) 11 day after injury in alcohol naïve and alcohol-drinking animals. There was a significant inverse correlation between TBI pressure and 2-AG (F) and a positive correlation between TBI pressure and AEA (G), such that animals with high TBI pressure had lower 2-AG and higher AEA. Data were analyzed via two-way ANOVA with Tukey's post hoc analysis, *p < 0.05 naïve TBI versus drinking TBI, ##p < 0.01 main effect of alcohol self-administration, $p < 0.05 main effect of TBI, n = 5–7/group. Values are expressed as mean ± SEM. 2-AG, 2-arachidonylglyercol; AEA, anandamide; ANOVA, analysis of variance; BLA, basolateral amygdala; eCB, endocannabinoids; SEM, standard error of the mean; TBI, traumatic brain injury