FIGURE 3.

Forced abstinence from alcohol decreases forced swim stress-induced cFos expression and augments intrinsic excitability of SST neurons in the PFC of female mice. (A) Representative images of cFos (green) and SST (red) immunofluorescence with the PFC delineated for quantification. (B) Male mice displayed more cFos nuclei than female mice following forced swim, and FA-exposed female mice had less cFos nuclei than control female mice. (C) SST neuron-specific cFos expression was similar in both sexes and FA conditions. (D) Representative traces of current-injected firing from SST neurons in the PL during a ramp protocol (left) and V-I plot protocol (right) at –70 mV. Scale bars 50 mV × 200 ms. (E) RMP, (F) action potential threshold, and (G) rheobase were unaltered in female PL SST neurons. (H) FA-exposed female SST neurons fired significantly more action potentials in the V-I plot protocol than control female SST neurons. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, and ***p < 0.001.