Neuroendocrine effects of intravenous ovine corticotropin-releasing factor in affective disorder patients and normal controls

A wide variety of neuroendocrine abnormalities have been reported in affective disorder patients. Probably the most extensively studied have been hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activation and dexamethasone resistance. The recent sequencing and availability of corticotropin-releasing factor allows direct testing of pituitary responsivity to this neuropeptide in affective disorder patients. Thus, we report the effects of intravenously administered ovine corticotropin-releasing factor (0.03 I*g/kg) on plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol in depressed patients and ageand sex-matched normal controls.