(a) Timeline for experimental procedures. (b) Hypothesized actions of PDYN knockout mice. (c) Representative images of control virus expression (left) and knockout virus (right). (d-j) Ethanol consumption in male animals. (d) Group averages for individual sessions over the course of 4 wk of DID; consumption at both 2-hr and 4-hr time points are plotted separately on day 4. (e) Cumulative averages by group for 4 wk of DID. PDYN knockout in CeA significantly decreased alcohol consumption in male animals; main effect of genotype: F(1,11)=6.899, p=0.024; genotype X cycle interaction F(3,33)=0.753, p=0.528. (f) Cumulative totals from individual mice. (g) PDYN knockout resulted in a significant reduction in the amount of alcohol consumed during IA; main effect of genotype: F(1,11)=4.860, p=0.0497. (h) PDYN knockout did not affect total fluid intake during IA; main effect of genotype: F(1,11)=1.485, p=0.248. (i) PDYN knockout did not affect ethanol preference; main effect of genotype: F(1,11)=3.788, p=0.078. (j) PDYN knockout did not significantly reduce the cumulative amount of ethanol consumed during IA F(1,11)=3.943, p=0.073. (k-q) Ethanol consumption in female animals. (k) Group averages for individual sessions over the course of 4 wk of DID. Consumption at both the 2-hr and 4-hr points are plotted separately on day 4. (l) Cumulative averages by group for 4 wk of DID; knockout of PDYN in CeA did not significantly alter alcohol consumption in female animals; main effect of genotype: F(1,17)=2.707, p=0.118; genotype X cycle interaction F(3,51)=1.643, p=0.191. (m) Cumulative totals from individual mice. (n) PDYN knockout significantly reduced the amount of alcohol consumed during IA; main effect of genotype: F(1,17)=4.490, p=0.049. (o) PDYN knockout did not affect total fluid intake during IA; main effect of genotype: F(1,17)=4.450, p=0.501. (p) PDYN knockout significantly reduced ethanol preference; main effect of genotype: F(1,17)=6.766, p=0.019. (q) PDYN knockout did not affect cumulative ethanol consumption during IA; main effect of genotype: F(1,17)=4.135, p=0.579 (d,k) round dots indicate values at 2-hr time points and square dots indicate values at 4-hr time points (d-j) n=7 control males and n=6 knockout males. (k-q) n=10 control females and n=9 knockout females