The effect of a neuroactive steroid analog and an extrasynaptic GABAA receptor agonist on ethanol consumption and seeking in mice

Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are complex conditions with no single animal model capturing all aspects of the disease. This dissertation examines the effects of the neuroactive steroid analog ganaxolone (GAN) on ethanol seeking and intake in male C57BL/6J mice, alongside gaboxadol (THIP), an agonist selective for extrasynaptic GABAA_AA​ receptors. Findings aim to clarify the role of synaptic versus extrasynaptic GABAA_AA​ receptor activation in modulating ethanol-related behaviors and identify the nucleus accumbens shell as a potential neural substrate for these effects.