Melanocortin activity in the amygdala influences alcohol intake.
2010

Abstract
Melanocortins have been reported to affect alcohol intake through actions in the hypothalamus thought to be mediated by melanocortin MC4 receptors. Since these receptors are expressed in a number of amygdala regions, we have explored their role in the regulation of alcohol intake in both alcohol-preferring (P) and non-preferring (NP) rats. Injections were made at the border of the central amygdala nucleus and the basolateral amygdala. The MC3/MC4R agonist Melanotan II (MT-II) reduced alcohol and food intake but increased water intake while the selective MC4R antagonist HS014 only increased food and water intake. The MC3/MC4R antagonist SHU9119 increased food and water but had little effect on alcohol intake. However, when the SHU9119 stimulation of food intake was prevented by pair-feeding, SHU9119 induced a large and prolonged decline in alcohol intake that was paralleled by an increase in water intake. These effects were only observed in P rats. We conclude that melanocortin activity in the amygdala can alter the selective preference for water and alcohol independent of effects on food intake.