Fig. 9: Electrophysiological characteristics of the AI and VMHvl neurons receiving monosynaptic projections from the MeA OXTR neurons.

a, c, e, g Overlapped images of hM4D (Gi) (mCherry, red) and VGlut2 positive (AF488, green) neurons, and Gi and GABA positive (AF488, green) neurons in the MeA^OXTR+AI (a, c) and MeA^OXTR+VMHvl (e, g). Scale bars, 50 μm. b, d, f, h Quantification of the percentage of VGlut2 (GABA)-expressing Gi neurons and Gi-expressing VGlut2 (GABA) neurons in the MeA^OXTR+AI (b, d) and MeA^OXTR+VMHvl (f, h). n = 3 voles in (b) and (f), 6 voles in (d) and 5 voles in (h). i Experimental regimen showing photostimulation (PS) site and electrophysiological recording. j–m Representative activated and unresponsive spontaneous discharge rate traces under PS (j, l). Pie charts showing the percentage of activated neurons in the AI (n = 17 cells, k) and VMHvl (n = 22 cells, m). n, p EPSC traces under PS, and quantified activated effect in the AI (n = 16 cells, n) and VMHvl (n = 22 cells, p). In (n), OFF versus ON, p = 0.0002; In (p), OFF versus ON, p = 0.0007. o, q EPSC traces under PS with CNQX, and quantified inhibited effect in the AI (n = 6 cells, o) and VMHvl (n = 7 cells, q). In (o), OFF versus ON, p = 0.009; ON versus ON + CNQX, p = 0.029; In (q), OFF versus ON, p = 0.009; ON versus ON + CNQX, p = 0.006. Data was analyzed by two-tail paired t-test (n, p) and Repeated measure one-way ANOVA with Sidak’s multiple comparison test (o, q). ^***p < 0.001, ^*p < 0.05. Data are presented as the means +/− SEM. Statistical details are presented in Supplementary Data. 1 file. Source data are provided as a Source Data file. PS photostimulation, oEPSC optically evoked excitatory postsynaptic current, CNQX 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (AMPA receptor antagonist).