Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 19, 2026

Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Vapor Exposure Paired with Two-Bottle Choice to Model Alcohol Use Disorder
Published on: June 23, 2023
Functional remodeling of the parasubthalamic nucleus drives alcohol drinking escalation in dependence
Jeffery L Dunning1, Max Kreifeldt1, Agbonlahor Okhuarobo1
1The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Translational Medicine, La Jolla, CA.
Abstract:
The neurocircuitry changes mediating the development and maintenance of an alcohol use disorder are complex and dynamic. The parasubthalamic nucleus (PSTN), a small nucleus of the posterior lateral hypothalamus best known for suppressing appetite, is interconnected with brain regions disrupted in addiction; yet its potential role in the regulation of alcohol consumption had never been examined. Here we show that the PSTN exerts potent control over alcohol drinking in mice. Remarkably, the influence of endogenous PSTN activity on voluntary alcohol consumption switches from inhibitory to stimulatory upon induction of alcohol dependence. Among PSTN cells, Crh neurons represent a unique subpopulation that promotes alcohol drinking and fires more in dependent mice. Alcohol intake escalation driven by PSTN Crh neurons involves thalamic output and behavioral disinhibition. Based on our results, PSTN Crh neurons could represent a critical node in the brain circuitry overactive in alcohol addiction driven by reward seeking in humans.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Drug Dependence

