Acute Ethanol Modulation of Neurocircuit Function in the Nucleus of the Tractus Solitarius.

•EtOH enhances pre- and post-synaptic GABAergic transmission in the NTS.•EtOH has minimal effects on NTS glutamatergic transmission.•EtOH decreases action potential firing in a majority of neurons.•EtOH enhances c-FOS/tyrosine hydroxylase colocalization in the NTS.•EtOH may disinhibit NTS TH neurons by increasing GABA signals between interneurons.