Distribution of Fos-immunoreactive cells in rat forebrain and midbrain following social defeat stress and diazepam treatment.

•Social defeat stress-induced hyperthermia was inhibited by diazepam in rats.•Social defeat stress induced Fos expression in many forebrain and midbrain regions.•Diazepam inhibited stress-induced Fos expression in specific brain regions.•Diazepam-sensitive stress activation identifies neurons mediating stress responses.•This Fos mapping provides important insights into central stress circuitry mechanisms.