Synonyms
Corticoliberin; Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)
Definition
Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is a hormone that is primarily produced by the hypothalamus and is involved in the stress response. Stress increases levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone, which activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Elevated CRH levels have been implicated in conditions like depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. It is released from the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus with the primary action within the anterior lobe of the pituitary to initiate the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). CRH (41 amino acids long) is derived from a 191 amino acid preprohormone. Other areas of CRH synthesis include peripheral tissues, and it is highly expressed in the placenta.
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References and Readings
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Creque, C., Kolakowsky-Hayner, S.A. (2018). Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_1644
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_1644
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