Figure 4. VP reduces STP in CRHPVN neurons from females but not males. A, EPSCs in CRHPVN neurons potentiated following HFS (gray bar) relative to baseline in aCSF control slices (green outline) and in VP-incubated slices (blue outline) from single-housed female mice stressed with FS. Inset, synaptic currents before and after HFS in aCSF-incubated and VP-incubated cells. B, STP was present in aCSF-incubated cells (mean: 152.2 ± 8.2%, n = 17 cells, p < 0.0001 vs baseline, one-sample t test, two-tailed, t(16) = 5.8), in VP-incubated cells (mean: 120.2 ± 5.7%, n = 16 cells, p = 0.002 vs baseline, one-sample t test, two-tailed, t(15) = 3.7), and in SR+VP-incubated cells (pink outline, mean: 147.5 ± 9.0%, n = 10 cells, p = 0.0007 vs baseline, one-sample t test, two-tailed). C, STP was present female aCSF mice (mean: 153.8 ± 9.4%, N = 14 mice, p = 0.0002 vs baseline, one-sample t test, two-tailed, t(13) = 5.1), in female VP mice (mean: 117.3 ± 5.9%, N = 11 mice, p = 0.005 vs baseline, one-sample t test, two-tailed, t(10) = 3.5), and in female SR+VP mice (mean: 146.8 ± 8.9%, N = 7 mice, p = 0.001 vs baseline, one-sample t test, two-tailed). D, STP (individual cells shown) was larger in aCSF-incubated cells (p = 0.007, one-way ANOVA, F(2,40) = 1.7; p = 0.008, followed by Sidak's multiple comparisons test) and in SR+VP-incubated cells (p = 0.04, Sidak's multiple comparisons test) than in VP-incubated cells. Horizontal bars represent the means. E, EPSCs in CRHPVN neurons potentiated following HFS (gray bar) relative to baseline in aCSF control slices (green outline) and in VP-incubated slices (blue outline) from single-housed male mice stressed with FS. Inset, synaptic currents before and after HFS in aCSF-incubated and VP-incubated cells. F, STP was present in aCSF-incubated cells (mean: 137.1 ± 7.6%, n = 12 cells, p = 0.0001 vs baseline, one-sample t test, two-tailed, t(11) = 5.9) and in VP-incubated cells (mean: 126.3 ± 7.9%, n = 9 cells, p = 0.009 vs baseline, one-sample t test, two-tailed, t(8) = 3.4). G, STP was present in male aCSF mice (mean: 138.5 ± 5.8%, N = 8 mice, p = 0.0001 vs baseline, one-sample t test, two-tailed, t(7) = 7.7) and in male VP mice (mean: 124.9 ± 9.2%, N = 5 mice, p = 0.04 vs baseline, one-sample t test, two-tailed, t(4) = 2.8). H, STP (individual cells shown) in aCSF-incubated cells was similar to that in VP-incubated cells (p = 0.35, unpaired t test, two-tailed, t(19) = 0.96). Horizontal bars represent the means. Scale bars (A, E) represent 5 ms and 20 pA. Inset currents (A, E) before HFS are scaled to allow for easier comparison after HFS. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001. Error bars represent ±SEM.