GABA Release From Central Amygdala Neurotensin Neurons Differentially Modulates Reward and Consummatory Behavior in Male and Female Mice

Abstract

The central nucleus of the amygdala is known to play key roles in alcohol use and affect. Neurotensin neurons in the central nucleus of the amygdala have been shown to regulate alcohol drinking in male mice. However, little is known about which neurotransmitters released by these specific cells drive alcohol consumption or whether these cells drive alcohol consumption in female mice. Here we show that knockdown of GABA release from central amygdala neurotensin neurons using a vGAT-shRNA-based AAV strategy reduces alcohol drinking in male, but not female, mice. This manipulation did not impact avoidance behavioral assays, except in a fasted novelty-suppressed feeding test, in which vGAT shRNA mice of both sexes demonstrated increased latency to feed on a familiar high-value food reward. These data show a role for GABA release from central amygdala neurotensin neurons in modulating consumption of rewarding substances in different motivational states.

Oral Fentanyl Consumption and Withdrawal Impairs Fear Extinction Learning and Enhances Basolateral Amygdala Principal Neuron Excitatory-Inhibitory Balance in Male and Female Mice

“…We observed significant sex differences in fentanyl consumption, with females consuming more fentanyl than males at the 30 µg/mL concentration. However, we have observed that female mice consume more liquid (g/kg) than male mice in general 52,53 . While studies investigating sex differences in oral fentanyl consumption are extremely limited, our work agrees with existing opioid self-administration literature that consistently shows increased opioid self-administration in females versus males 11,16,54–56 .…”