Effects of fluoxetine on CRF and CRF1 expression in rats exposed to the learned helplessness paradigm.

Rationale: Stress is a common antecedent reported by people suffering major depression. In these patients, extrahypothalamic brain areas, like the hippocampus and basolateral amygdala (BLA), have been found to be affected. The BLA synthesizes CRF, a mediator of the stress response, and projects to hippocampus.