Late feedback effects of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hormones in healthy subjects.

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial looks at Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone and Hydrocortisone.

The researchers tested the hypothesis that hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hormones exert prolonged negative feedback on corticotropin (ACTH) secretion.

Subjects had a venipuncture for cortisol and ACTH levels at 0900h on Day 1, then had i.v. insertion and cortisol and ACTH levels measured at 1600 and 1855h.

Who Took Part

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were adults and middle-aged adults, both men and women.

How the Study Was Run

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

The participants were allocated by chance, so the Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone group and the comparison group should start out alike.

Blinding on both sides kept the participants and researchers unaware of who received Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone.

Some participants received a placebo instead of Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone, giving a reference point.

The test substance was given at 1900h and cortisol and ACTH levels were monitored until 2300h, when the i.v.'s were discontinued.

What Was Measured

The researchers tested the hypothesis that hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hormones exert prolonged negative feedback on corticotropin (ACTH) secretion.

Subjects had a venipuncture for cortisol and ACTH levels at 0900h on Day 1, then had i.v. insertion and cortisol and ACTH levels measured at 1600 and 1855h.

Topics PubMed links to this paper include Adrenocorticotropic Hormone, Arousal, Circadian Rhythm, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone, Cosyntropin, Feedback and Hormones.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone and Hydrocortisone.

The publication is from 1998 (Psychoneuroendocrinology), a journal based in England.

More context: all human trials.