Social isolation recruits amygdala–medial prefrontal cortex projections to escalate alcohol drinking in male mice

Nature Neuroscience, Published online: 25 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41593-026-02413-x

Social isolation recruits a basolateral amygdala–medial prefrontal cortex circuit to escalate alcohol drinking in male mice. This pathway reshapes prefrontal population dynamics, suppressing natural reward responses while amplifying alcohol-evoked activity.