Treatment with allopregnanolone or treatments that increase allopregnanolone levels exerts antidepressant effects in animal models (Khisti and Chopde, 2000; Khisti et al., 2000; Frye and Walf, 2002) and decreases CRH expression in the PVN (Patchev et al., 1994) (for review see van Broekhoven and Verkes, 2003), suggesting that allopregnanolone can decrease the behavioral and neuroendocrine abnormalities associated with depression. The gene discussed is CRH; the disease is depressive disorder.