Chronic alcohol increases intracellular activity markers in the cingulate cortex. There was a significant main effect of alcohol to increase ERK phosphorylation (A; p=0.0303), total levels of ERK (B; p=0.0297), and CREB phosphorylation (C; p=0.0048). Alcohol did not increase total levels of CREB (D; p=0.1080). Control diet + sham surgery, solid navy (n = 5); control diet + OVX, navy dotted (n = 5); alcohol diet + sham surgery, solid orange (n = 5); alcohol diet + OVX, orange dotted (n = 4).