dexamethasone + corticotropin-releasing factor

This is a combination of two agents—dexamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid corticosteroid, and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF; also known as corticotropin-releasing hormone or CRH), a peptide hormone involved in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The combination is primarily used in research and diagnostic settings as the "combined dexamethasone suppression-corticotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test" (DEX-CRH test). This test assesses HPA axis function by first suppressing endogenous cortisol production with dexamethasone and then stimulating ACTH release with exogenous CRF. It is used to investigate neuroendocrine dysregulation in psychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder (mania), chronic fatigue syndrome, and to differentiate between Cushing's syndrome and pseudo-Cushing's states. Dexamethasone acts by binding to glucocorticoid receptors to suppress ACTH secretion via negative feedback on the pituitary gland. Exogenous CRF stimulates pituitary ACTH release by activating its receptors (mainly CRHR1) on pituitary corticotrophs[1][2][4][5][7].

Other names

dexamethasone + CRFdexamethasone + corticotropin-releasing hormoneDEX-CRH combination