Figure 4.

Example experiment performed in voltage-clamp configuration

(A) Schematic depicting the parasagittal plane through which NAc-containing ex vivo brain slices are prepared.

(B) Schematic of the whole-cell electrophysiological recording strategy in the NAc. Electrically-evoked EPSCs are recorded in MSNs patched in whole-cell voltage-clamp configuration with a Cs⁺-based internal solution.

(C) A representative experiment showing how GABA_BR agonist, (RS)-baclofen (BAC, 1 μM), reduces glutamatergic synaptic strength onto MSNs in the NAc. Each point reflects the amplitude of an EPSC elicited via electrical stimulation at 0.1 Hz. To eliminate GABA_AR-mediated synaptic currents, GABA_AR antagonist, picrotoxin (50 μM), is included in the ACSF bath throughout the recording session. After obtaining a stable 10-min EPSC baseline, BAC is superfused for 10-min, after which the line is switched to the original ACSF.

(D) Representative traces of EPSCs a\t baseline (black) and in the presence of BAC (blue).

(E) Summary graph depicting average EPSC amplitude at baseline and in the presence of BAC. Note: To compare outcomes across experiments, summary graphs of multiple experimental replicates should be depicted and analyzed following normalization.