Abstract Choline acetyltransferase-positive neurons in the external lateral parabrachial nucleus (eLPB ChAT ) send projections to PKCδ-positive (PKCδ + ) neurons in lateral portion of central nucleus of amygdala (lCeA PKCδ ) and oval portion of bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (ovBNST PKCδ ), forming eLPB ChAT –lCeA PKCδ and eLPB ChAT –ovBNST PKCδ pathways. At least in part, the eLPB ChAT neurons positively innervate lCeA PKCδ and ovBNST PKCδ through regulating synaptic elements of presynaptic acetylcholine (Ach) release and postsynaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Methamphetamine (METH) withdrawal anxiety and METH-primed reinstatement of conditioned place preference (CPP) recruit eLPB ChAT –lCeA PKCδ pathway and eLPB ChAT –ovBNST PKCδ pathway in male METH-exposed mice, respectively.

Distinct eLPBChATprojections for methamphetamine anxiety and relapse