Atrial natriuretic hormone inhibits corticotropin-releasing hormone-induced prolactin release in man

Plain-language guide to PMID 7629756 (1995): double-blind randomized controlled trial study of ACTH (Corticotropin) and CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone).

Key Facts

PMID: 7629756
Journal: Journal of psychiatric research
Year: 1995
Study type: Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Wiedemann K et al. (3 authors)
DOI: 10.1016/0022-3956(94)00043-q

What This Study Did, in Plain Language

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial paper looks at ACTH (Corticotropin) and CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone).

To test the hypothesis of whether ANH also inhibits the CRH-mediated prolactin release a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study in 12 males aged from 25 to 30 years was conducted.

Why It Was Studied

Atrial natriuretic hormone (ANH) is found in heart myocytes, and also in the CNS.

The inhibitory action of ANH on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) system has been established by in vivo and in vitro experiments, and could be of considerable importance: whereas several synergists to corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), the key hormone of the HPA system, are characterized in the past, until now ANH seems to be the only peptide which counterbalances the effects of CRH at the pituitary.

Who Took Part

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were adults, men only.

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study.

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got ACTH (Corticotropin) and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

Blinding on both sides kept the participants and researchers unaware of who received ACTH (Corticotropin).

The comparison arm used a placebo, so changes seen with ACTH (Corticotropin) could be set against what happens without it.

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are Arginine Vasopressin, Atrial Natriuretic Factor, Blood-Brain Barrier, Circadian Rhythm, Cognition, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone and Dopamine.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of ACTH (Corticotropin) and CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone).

The publication is from 1995 (Journal of psychiatric research), a journal based in England.

More context: the ACTH (Corticotropin) compound page and the CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone) compound page, all human trials.

Our Notes on the Compounds

ACTH (Corticotropin): The 39-amino-acid pituitary hormone that drives cortisol production; given as repository corticotropin (Acthar Gel).

CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone): The 41-amino-acid hypothalamic hormone that triggers ACTH release; corticorelin is used diagnostically.

Vasopressin: A 9-amino-acid hormone (antidiuretic hormone) that controls water balance and blood vessel tone; used in septic shock.

Source: PubMed record. This explanation is written by PeptideWhiz from the public record. For research and education only. Not medical advice; no dosing information is given.