The inducible transcription factor c-Fos, has been shown to selectively and consistently be induced in the pIIIu by various routes of administration of ethanol including systemic ethanol, inhalation of ethanol vapors or voluntary drinking of sweetened or unsweetened ethanol in both mice and rats (Bachtell et al., 1999; Bachtell et al., 2002a; Ryabinin et al., 2001; Ryabinin et al., 2003; Sharpe et al., 2005; Spangler et al., 2009; Topple et al., 1998; Weitemier et al., 2001) Furthermore, lesions of this nucleus decreased the robust alcohol consumption seen in C57BL/6J mice (Bachtell et al., 2004; Weitemier and Ryabinin, 2005). As further confirmation of the role of this nucleus in alcohol consumption, rodents selectively bred to prefer alcohol showed higher levels of urocortin immunoreactivity in the pIIIu when compared to control lines (Bachtell et al., 2002b; Bachtell et al., 2003; Fonareva et al., 2009; Turek et al., 2005). And as noted previously, high levels of the ghrelin receptor, GHSR 1a, mRNA are expressed in the pIIIu (Allen Brain Atlas, www.brain-map.org; Zigman et al., 2006), making this nucleus an important player in the regulation of alcohol consumption.
