An ensemble recruited by α-adrenergic receptors is engaged in a stressor-specific manner in mice.

α-adrenergic receptor (α-AR) agonists are candidate substance use disorder therapeutics due to their ability to recruit noradrenergic autoreceptors to dampen stress system engagement. However, we recently found that postsynaptic α-ARs are required for stress-induced reinstatement of cocaine-conditioned behavior. Understanding the ensembles recruited by these postsynaptic receptors (heteroceptors) is necessary to understand noradrenergic circuit control.