Data from: No evidence for sex differences in the electrophysiological properties and excitatory synaptic input onto nucleus accumbens shell medium spiny neurons

Sex differences exist in how the brain regulates motivated behavior and
reward, both in normal and pathological contexts. Investigations into the
underlying neural mechanisms have targeted the striatal brain regions,
including the dorsal striatum and nucleus accumbens core and shell. These
investigations yield accumulating evidence of sexually different
electrophysiological properties, excitatory synaptic input, and
sensitivity to neuromodulator/hormone action in select striatal regions
both before and after puberty. It is unknown whether the electrical
properties of neurons in the nucleus accumbens shell differ by sex and
whether sex differences in excitatory synaptic input are present before
puberty. To test the hypothesis that these properties differ by sex, we
performed whole-cell patch-clamp recordings on male and female medium
spiny neurons (MSNs) in acute brain slices obtained from prepubertal rat
nucleus accumbens shell. We analyzed passive and active
electrophysiological properties, and miniature EPSCs (mEPSCs). No sex
differences were detected; this includes those properties, such as
intrinsic excitability, action potential after hyperpolarization,
threshold, and mEPSC frequency, that have been found to differ by sex in
other striatal regions and/or developmental periods. These findings
indicate that, unlike other striatal brain regions, the
electrophysiological properties of nucleus accumbens shell MSNs do not
differ by sex. Overall, it appears that sex differences in striatal
function, including motivated behavior and reward, are likely mediated by
other factors and striatal regions.