Ethanol-induced increases in extracellular dopamine are blunted in brain-derived neurotrophic factor heterozygous mice

▶ Ethanol reduced striatal BDNF protein levels in wildtype and BDNF+/− mice. ▶ BDNF+/− mice had elevated baseline striatal dopamine levels by microdialysis. ▶ Ethanol-induced increases in extracellular dopamine were decreased in BDNF+/− mice.