Mice were maintained in a room under controlled temperature (23±1°C) with 12 h light/dark cycles and free access to standard chow (Harlan Teklad #7912, Madison, WI) and water. Cages (4 mice/cage until viral injections and then single housing thereafter) and bedding (Harlan Sani-chips, #7090A, Harlan, Teklad, Madison, WI) were changed weekly. All experimental manipulations or behavioral testing were done between 0900 and 1200 h. Procedures were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Virginia Commonwealth University and followed the NIH Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. All mice were DBA/2J males from Jackson Laboratories (Bar Harbor, Maine) purchased at 10–13 weeks of age. All animals were allowed to habituate to the animal facility for at least 2 weeks prior to experimental procedures.
