Role of corticotropin-releasing hormone in the amygdala and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in the behavioral, pain modulatory, and endocrine consequences of opiate withdrawal

The extra-hypothalamic actions of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) have been accorded an important role in coordinating responses to stressors and contributing to the consequences of drug abuse. Recent proposals suggest that CRH actions in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis coordinate responses to tonic/unpredictable stressors whereas these actions in the central nucleus of the amygdala coordinate responses to phasic/predictable stressors. We used in situ hybridization histochemistry and site-specific microinjections of a CRH receptor antagonist to study the role of CRH in opiate withdrawal. Rats undergoing opiate withdrawal displayed clear behavioral and autonomic changes accompanied by hyperalgesia and increased plasma corticosterone. In situ hybridization of CRH mRNA revealed significant increases in the central nucleus of the amygdala but not in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis among rats either chronically pre-treated with morphine, given an injection of naloxone, or both (precipitated withdrawal). An increase of CRH mRNA in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus was specific to rats undergoing withdrawal. Intracerebroventricular microinjection of the CRH receptor antagonist, αhCRH 9–41, reduced the severity of opiate withdrawal. Microinjections of αhCRH 9–41 into the central nucleus of the amygdala also reduced the severity of withdrawal whereas bed nucleus of the stria terminalis microinjections of αhCRH 9–41 were without effect. These experiments provide evidence for a role of amygdala, but not bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, CRH in opiate dependence. We propose a specific role for down-regulation of opiate receptor signaling in increased expression of the CRH gene in the amygdala. Moreover, we suggest that the roles accorded to CRH in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis versus amygdala in coordinating responses to stressors may need to be reconsidered to distinguish between external and internal/interoceptive stressors.