Also of interest is the observation that Ucn 1, another peptide of the corticotrophin family, can modulate alcohol intake and preference. For example, it has been shown that this peptide system, primarily synthesized in the nonpreganglionic Edinger-Westphal nucleus, is overexpressed in mice and in rats with innate high ethanol preference and intake. In addition, it has been shown that alcohol but not saccharine exposure in mice induces preferential increase of c-Fos expression in this nucleus. Lastly, electrolytic lesions of the Edinger-Westphal nucleus block alcohol preference in high ethanol drinking mice (i.e., C57BL/6J); whereas Ucn 1 microinjection into the lateral septum selectively attenuates alcohol self-administration (Ryabinin et al., 2008).
