Human Hormones

Corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH), also called corticoliberin, is a hormone found in the human body. It is produced by the neuroendocrine cells of the hypothalamus, and it is secreted from the neurosecretory terminals where it is carried to the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland. In the pituitary gland, CRH causes adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion. This is the primary effect of CRH. The only other known effect of CRH is its role in parturition. CRH is synthesized by the placenta and seems to have a role in determining the duration of pregnancy. CRH is composed of a 41-amino acid sequence – a sequence first determined in 1983.
Pharmacological Uses

Synthetic CRH is used as a drug in determining hormone production and secretion deficiencies in the hormones that are secreted in response to CRH secretion (ACTH, cortisol). It is commonly administered to patients with both Addison’s disease and adrenal fatigue syndrome, both diseases that result from a lack of cortisol secretion and production, as a means of diagnosing the cause of cortisol deficiency.