The purpose of this study was to evaluateclass="boldFont">, in male Wistar rats, the involvement of the CRF system and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis in relapse induced by environmental cues. Antalarmin, a selective CRF1 receptor antagonist, Metyrapone, a corticosterone (CORT) synthesis inhibitor and CORT were evaluated for their effects on the reinstatement test in a cue-induced relapse model.
Antalarmin (20 mg/kg) blocked relapse to alcohol seeking induced by environmental cues. Metyrapone (50 and 100 mg/kg) also blocked relapse in Wistar rats but only at the highest dose (100 mg/kg). Corticosterone had no effect on relapse at the doses tested.
The results obtained from this study suggest that the CRF stress system and the HPA axis are involved in cue-induced alcohol relapse.