Target Brain Sites of the Anxiolytic Effect of Citalopram, a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor

The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the brain regions in which citalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), exerts its anxiolytic effects in conditioned fear stress (CFS) in rats, an animal model of anxiety. The effect of citalopram on CFS-induced c-Fos expression was investigated using immunohistochemistry. Systemic administration of citalopram attenuated contextual CFS-induced c-Fos expression in the secondary motor cortex, primary somatosensory cortex, and basolateral nucleus of the amygdala. Among these regions the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala is a likely candidate region in which citalopram exerts its anxiolytic effect.