All statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism software (V5.0f for Mac, GraphPad Software, www.graphpad.com). Student’s t-tests were used to compare basal differences between neural cells derived from controls and alcoholics. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA containing donor status (i.e. control or alcoholic) and alcohol treatment as factors was utilized to examine the effect of 21-day alcohol exposure on GABAA subunit gene expression and the effect of acute alcohol exposure on GABA-evoked currents. The electrophysiology analysis of puff-applied GABA currents compared a 5-minute baseline recording to the last 5-minutes of acute alcohol exposure. A regular two-way ANOVA containing donor status and alcohol treatment was used to examine the effect of chronic alcohol exposure on bath-applied GABA-evoked currents. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05.
