Specificity of the learned helplessness model of depression.

The learned helplessness model of depression was tested for its responsiveness to several types of antidepressant therapies, and to a number of psychoactive drugs which are not effective in treating depression in humans. Chronic administration of tricyclic antidepressants (imipramine, desipramine, amitryptyline, nortryptyline, or doxepin), atypical antidepressants (iprindole or mianserin), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (iproniazid or pargyline), or electroconvulsive shock was effective in reversing learned helplessness. Chronic treatment with anxiolytics (diazepam, lorazepam, or chlordiazepoxide), neuroleptics (chlorpromazine or haloperidol) stimulants (amphetamine or caffeine), or depressants (phenobarbital or ethanol) was not. Thus, this model provides a reasonable degree of specificity toward therapies which are successful in humans.