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Orexin and its receptors are involved in mechanisms of pathological craving to alcohol. This study has shown that the mRNA level of the orexin receptor type 1 (OX1R) significantly decreased in the prefrontal cortex in the group of chronically alcoholized (for 6 months) rats compared with intact control. The same changes in the OX1R gene expression were observed on day 1 and day 7 of alcohol withdrawal after chronic alcoholization. On the contrary, in the hippocampus, the OX1R mRNA level increased on day 1 and day 7 of alcohol withdrawal. In the ventral tegmental area, the OX1R mRNA level remained unchanged on both day 1 and day 7 of alcohol withdrawal compared with the groups of chronic alcoholization and intact control. This suggests involvement of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in mechanisms mediating chronic alcohol intoxication.