Fig. 6.

A history of alcohol drinking and sex modulate activity-dependent synaptic transmission in BNST neurons: spontaneous postsynaptic currents (sPSCs). A) Spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic current (sEPSC) frequency was unaltered by sex and alcohol. 2xANOVA: no effects (ps > 0.30). B) Spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic current (sIPSC) frequency was increased by alcohol exposure. 2xANOVA: main effect of EtOH (F_1,51 = 6.47, *p = 0.014) but no effect of sex or interaction (ps > 0.25). Posthoc t-tests between CON and EtOH groups within sex: ps > 0.10. C) sEPSC amplitude was lower in females than males, an effect drive by the EtOH group. 2xANOVA: main effect of sex (sex: F_1,51 = 9.95, **p = 0.003) but no effect of EtOH or interaction (ps > 0.20). Post hoc t-tests between M and F within group: CON (t₅₁ = 1.22, p = 0.228), EtOH (t₅₁ = 3.47, **p = 0.002). D) sIPSC amplitude was lower in females than males in both CON and EtOH conditions. 2xANOVA: main effect of sex (sex: F_1,51 = 20.28, ****p < 0.0001) but no effect of EtOH or interaction (ps > 0.10). Post hoc t-tests between M and F within group: CON (t₅₁ = 2.09, *p = 0.042), EtOH (t₅₁ = 4.53, ****p < 0.0001). E) Spontaneous excitatory synaptic drive was not affected by sex or alcohol exposure. 2xANOVA: no effects (ps > 0.35). F) Spontaneous inhibitory synaptic drive was higher in males than females and increased by a history of alcohol exposure. 2xANOVA: main effect of sex (F_1,51 = 5.25, *p = 0.026) and EtOH (F_1,51 = 6.15, *p = 0.017) but no interaction (p > 0.70). Post hoc t-tests revealed no significant differences (ps > 0.05). G) The spontaneous synaptic drive ratio was not different between groups. 2xANOVA: no effects (ps > 0.10). However, EtOH M had a ratio below 1.0 (one-sample t-test: t₁₄ = 3.85, ^##p = 0.002), indicating a net synaptic inhibition, while other groups did not differ from 1.0 (ps > 0.50).