FIG. 6.

TBI increases BLA pyramidal neuron excitability 11 days post-TBI in alcohol-naïve female rats. Whole-cell patch clamp slice electrophysiology was performed on BLA pyramidal neurons from alcohol naïve Sham and TBI animals 11 days post-TBI in Expt. 3 (schematic representation of recording sites shown in A). There was a decrease in the input resistance (B) of BLA pyramidal neurons from TBI animals, but there were no changes in resting membrane potential (C) or SAG ratio (D). The FI gain was significantly higher in TBI neurons relative to Sham neurons (E,F). Data were analyzed via two-tailed t test or Mann Whitney test, *p < 0.05, n = 15–30 cells/group, n = 6–9 animals/group. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. BLA, basolateral amygdala; FI, firing rate-input; SAG, voltage sag; SEM, standard error of the mean; TBI, traumatic brain injury.