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. 2024 Apr 30;31:100638. doi: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100638

Fig. 2.

Fig. 2

Voltage-gated channel function in monkey BNST neurons differs between males and females and is modulated by a history of chronic voluntary alcohol intake. A) Membrane resistance was higher in female BNST neurons than those of males when measured during voltage clamp recordings. 2xANOVA: main effect of sex (F1,51 = 4.84, *p = 0.032) but no effect of EtOH or interaction (ps > 0.10). Post hoc direct comparisons showed a trend for a difference between alcohol males (EtOH M) and females (EtOH F; t51 = 2.23, p = 0.060) and no difference between control males (CON M) and females (CON F; p = 0.320). B) The hyperpolarization-activated depolarizing current (Ih) was lower in females than males and decreased by a history of EtOH exposure. 2xANOVA: main effects of sex (F1,51 = 16.40, ***p = 0.0002) and EtOH (F1,51 = 10.03, **p = 0.003) but no interaction (p > 0.30). Post hoc t-tests showed a significant difference between M and F in both the CON (t51 = 2.03, *p = 0.048) and EtOH (t51 = 3.88, ***p = 0.001) groups, as well as between CON and EtOH F (t51 = 2.80, *p = 0.014) but not M (t51 = 1.64, p = 0.108). C) Inward rectification was higher in males and decreased by EtOH exposure. 2xANOVA: main effects of sex (F1,48 = 9.67, **p = 0.003) and EtOH (F1,48 = 12.14, **p = 0.001) but no interaction (p = 0.934). Post hoc direct comparisons showed a significant sex difference between CON M and F (t48 = 2.07, *p = 0.044) and EtOH M and F (t48 = 2.38, *p = 0.042) and effect of EtOH in M (t48 = 2.54, *p = 0.028) and F (t48 = 2.39, *p = 0.028). D-F) Membrane resistance was negatively correlated with Ih in BNST cells (D; R = −0.575, ****p < 0.0001) and inward rectification score (E; R = −0.372, ***p < 0.007); Ih and inward rectification score were highly positively correlated (F; R = 0.698, ****p < 0.0001). G-I) Effects of sex and EtOH history on voltage-current relationships (as measured in Fig. 1D and E) were ablated when K and HCN channels were blocked using a Cs-based intracellular recording solution. Representative trace from a CON M BNST neuron (G) and quantification (H) of the voltage-current. 3xRM-ANOVA: main effect of voltage step (F5,230 = 83.83, ****p < 0.0001) but no other effects or interactions (ps > 0.35). I) Ih was diminished when a Cs-based intracellular recording solution was used, ablating effects of sex and EtOH. 2xANOVA: no effects or interaction (ps > 0.10).