Fig. 6. A history of voluntary binge alcohol drinking induces a female-like phenotype in male BNST^CRF neurons.

a Experimental timeline for recording from BNST^CRF neurons one day following three cycles of alcohol DID (EtOH) or water DID control (CON) procedure (means for CON cell data in Fig. 1 are represented in this figure by blue and red lines for CON M and F, respectively). b % BNST^CRF neurons in various states of excitability. Chronic alcohol drinking increases the proportion of depolarized neurons in males (Fisher’s exact test *P = 0.037) but not females (P > 0.99). N’s = 8 EtOH M, 23 cells; 10 EtOH F, 26 cells. c–h Effect of repeated binge alcohol drinking on spontaneous EPSCs and IPSCs in BNST^CRF neurons (N’s = 5 EtOH M, 13 cells; 8 EtOH F, 21 cells). c sEPSC frequency. Two-tailed unpaired t-tests: males: t₂₈ = 3.08, ^$$P = 0.005^; females: t₄₀= 1.02, P ₌0.314. d sEPSC amplitude. Two-tailed unpaired t-tests: males: t₂₈ = 1.55, P = 0.132; females: t₄₀ = 0.520, P = 0.606. e Excitatory synaptic drive, calculated as sEPSC frequency × sEPSC amplitude. 2xANOVA: sex x EtOH interaction (F_1,68= 10.55, **P = 0.002) but no main effects (Ps > 0.05); post hoc two-tailed unpaired t-tests with Holm-Sidak corrections show a sex difference between CON M and F (t₆₈ = 3.10, *P = 0.014) and effect of EtOH in males (t₆₈ = 3.37, **P = 0.007) but not females (P > 0.50). f sIPSC frequency. Two-tailed unpaired t-tests: males: t₂₈= 1.48, P = 0.151; females: t₄₀ = 0.02, P = 0.981. g sIPSC amplitude. Two-tailed unpaired t-tests: males: t₂₈ = 1.16, P = 0.257; females: t₄₀ = 1.02, P = 0.314. h Inhibitory synaptic drive. 2xANOVA: no effects or interactions (Ps > 0.30). Data are presented as mean values + SEM.