As key actors of the dopaminergic system, the VTA and Acb are involved in incentive salience to promote goal-directed behavior, whereas the latter is also part of the extended amygdala complex which integrates the stress-arousal systems with hedonic processing to produce emotional states [17]. Interaction effects could have also been expected in the Amy which is involved in emotion regulation and modulation of the reinforcing effects of alcohol [17]. However, no difference was observed in Fkbp5 expression in the Amy and not in mPFC, another stress-regulating area. Higher Fkbp5 expression has been observed upon restraint stress in the murine Amy as well as in hypothalamic and extra-hypothalamic regions in response to dexamethasone or corticosterone challenge [8, 46]. Knocking out of Fkbp5 in the Amy or the entire brain has been linked to lower fear responses, corticosterone levels, and stress induced fear response, as well as shorter recovery time after chronic social defeat stress in mice [24, 25]. Analysis of the central nucleus of the amygdala, which mediates acute reinforcing actions, separately from the basolateral amygdala, which mediates processes conditioned reinforcing
