Ethanol, acutely and chronically, affects synaptic transmission and plasticity in the NAc. Chronic intermittent ethanol enhances glutamatergic transmission onto a subtype of MSNs, D1-receptor expressing MSNs selectively and it was not seen in D1-receptor negative MSNs in the NAc (Renteria, Maier et al. 2017). Chronic ethanol also impairs long-term depression (LTD) in D1-receptor expressing MSNs in the NAc (Renteria, Jeanes et al. 2014, Renteria, Maier et al. 2017). Activation of NMDA-type glutamate receptors in the NAc core, medial prefrontal (mPFC) and insula is necessary for aversion-resistant alcohol consumption in rats. Further, aversion-resistant intake was associated with expression in the NAc core of a new type of NMDA receptor containing the Grin2C (or NR2C) subunit that lacks the Mg2+ block and remains active at hyperpolarizing potentials (Seif, Chang et al. 2013).
