The peak of GABA-evoked responses was used to examine the effect of chronic 50 mM alcohol exposure (9–21 days) on GABA-mediated current in neurons from CTLs and ADs. Sham- or alcohol-treated coverslips were removed from the incubator, placed in the recording chamber containing oxygenated aCSF, and neurons were patched and validated by the presence of voltage-gated sodium and potassium channels and the ability to fire an action potential. Following a 1–2 min baseline recording in normal aCSF in voltage clamp mode at −70 mV, GABA-mediated current was examined by bath application of aCSF containing 10 μM GABA. The change in current was monitored and the perfusion tube was switched back to a normal aCSF upon plateau and slight reversal of the GABA-evoked current, which occurred after ≈ 30 seconds. The maximum value of the GABA-evoked current was normalized to membrane capacitance (pF) to control for differences in cell size.
