corticotrophin-releasing hormone

Corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH), also known as corticotropin-releasing factor, is a peptide neurohormone produced primarily by the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. It is the central driver of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and plays a key role in coordinating the body's response to stress. CRH stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to secrete adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which then prompts cortisol release from the adrenal glands[3][1]. Beyond its endocrine effects, CRH acts within various brain regions to modulate appetite, anxiety, memory, and attention. It is also produced in peripheral tissues such as white blood cells and placenta during pregnancy[3]. Synthetic forms like corticorelin are used diagnostically for evaluating ACTH-dependent disorders such as Cushing syndrome and adrenal insufficiency[1][6].

Brand names

Acthrel

Other names

corticotropin-releasing hormonecorticoliberin humancorticorelincorticorelin (human)corticotropin releasing hormone humancorticotropin-releasing factorcorticotropin-releasing factor (human)human corticoliberinhuman corticotropin-releasing factor