The transition from quiescence to activation in radial neural stem cells (rNSCs) is a key first step in the process of adult neurogenesis, which can be monitored in the context of circuit activation in live tissue by whole-cell patch-clamp recording of membrane potentials of rNSCs in acute brain slices. However, membrane recordings in small non-neuronal cells such as rNSCs can be challenging. Here, we describe the preparation of materials, recording and stimulation protocols, and analyses necessary to evaluate the efficacy of activity-dependent control of rNSC behavior. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Asrican et al. (2020).