Fig 1: The influence of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and stress exposure on corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) mRNA in the amygdala (AMG) and hypothalamus (HYP). (A) In the male amygdala, CRH, AVP, and the ratio of CRH:AVP mRNA levels were not altered by PAE or stress. In females, a significant interaction between PAE and stress results in increased CRH and AVP mRNA levels; *Indicates an interaction between PAE and stress. The ratio of CRH to AVP mRNA are not altered by PAE and/or stress in females. (B) In the hypothalamus, CRH mRNA levels and the ratio of CRH:AVP mRNA levels are not altered by PAE or stress in either sex. A main effect of PAE reduces AVP mRNA levels in males. Additionally in males, an interaction of PAE and stress is revealed with lower AVP levels in PAE relative to SAC mice, with disparate responses to stress. No reliable differences are observed in AVP mRNA levels from PAE or stress in female HYP. All results reflect 2-way ANOVA main effects and interactions. *Interaction of PAE and stress = p = 0.05. ^main effect of PAE = p = 0.05.