Key Functions of Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone in the Human Body
The paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, which releases hormones among other things, secretes a corticotropin-releasing hormone or CRF hormone(corticotropin-releasing factor). Corticotropin-releasing hormone is CRH full form. The action of corticotropin-releasing hormone is multifaceted. Its primary function in the body is as the master controller of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which regulates stress hormones. The term corticotropin-releasing hormone comes from the fact that it stimulates the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone. The stress hormone cortisol is generated by adrenocorticotropic hormone, which flows through the bloodstream to the adrenal glands.
CRH Hormone Structure
The 41-amino-acid peptide corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) is derived from a 196-amino-acid preprohormone. The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus secretes CRH in response to stress. Increased CRH hormone development has been linked to Alzheimer's disease and severe depression, and autosomal recessive hypothalamic corticotropin deficiency has a variety of metabolic effects, including hypoglycemia, that can be fatal.
CRH Hormone Synthesis
CRH is formed by parvocellular neuroendocrine cells in the hypothalamus' paraventricular nucleus and released at the median eminence from neurosecretory terminals of these neurons into the hypothalamohypophyseal portal system's primary capillary plexus. The portal system transports CRH hormone to the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland, where it activates corticotrophs to secrete ACTH and other biologically active substances (-endorphin). Cortisol, glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, and DHEA are all produced in response to ACTH.
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How is a Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Controlled?
Nervous activity in the brain stimulates the release of corticotropin-releasing hormone. In non-stressed situations, it has a normal 24-hour rhythm, with peaks about 8 a.m. and troughs overnight. A traumatic experience, illness, or even exercise may cause corticotropin-releasing hormone to rise above normal daily levels. Higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol result from a rise in the corticotropin-releasing hormone, which mobilises the energy resources required to cope with the stressor. Over time, high levels of stress hormones may have harmful effects on the body. Cortisol, as a result, inhibits the release of corticotropin-releasing hormone and shuts down the hypothalamus-pituitary–adrenal axis, resulting in a negative feedback loop.
Leptin, a hormone released by fat tissue, can inhibit some of the effects of corticotropin-releasing hormone in the brain. This may explain why corticotropin-releasing hormone has the ability to suppress appetite.
What Happens if I Have Too Much Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone?
Corticotropin-releasing hormone levels that are abnormally high have been linked to a number of diseases. Too much corticotropin-releasing hormone is suspected of causing nervous disorders such as psychiatric depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and anorexia nervosa since it increases anxiety and suppresses appetite.
Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease are all inflammatory diseases that can be made worse by elevated levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone. This may seem surprising at first because increased corticotropin-releasing hormone levels in the brain may lead to increased glucocorticoid development, and glucocorticoids are anti-inflammatory. However, studies have shown that high levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone in tissues other than the brain may have a strong inflammatory effect. Increased levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone in the joints, skin, or gut can exacerbate or even cause these inflammatory conditions to develop.
What Happens if I Have Too Little Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone?
According to studies, people with Alzheimer's disease have especially low levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone. Some researchers believe that a lack of corticotropin-releasing hormone is to blame for chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, in which sufferers struggle with sleep, memory, and concentration. However, further study into both of these topics is needed before this can be verified.
Low corticotrophin-releasing hormone output by the foetus or the placenta during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage.
Importance of CRH Hormone
Role in Parturition
The placenta also produces CRH, which appears to influence the length of pregnancy.
CRH levels increase near the end of pregnancy, just before birth, and current theory indicates that it plays three roles in parturition:
Increases dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels both directly and indirectly via the foetal adrenal gland and the mother's pituitary gland. DHEA is involved in both the preparation and stimulation of cervical contractions.
Increases the availability of prostaglandins in the uteroplacental tissues. Cervical contractions are triggered by prostaglandins.
It can play a role in inhibiting contractions prior to parturition by rising cAMP levels in the myometrium.
Progesterone, which remains elevated during pregnancy, inhibits trophoblast CRH in culture. Glucocorticoids and catecholamines induce its release, which increases prior to parturition, releasing the progesterone block.
Other Uses
Corticotropin-releasing hormones also affect other parts of the brain, suppressing appetite, increasing anxiety, and improving memory and selective attention, among other things. These effects work together to coordinate behaviour in order to improve and fine-tune the body's
reaction to a stressful situation.
Corticotropin-releasing hormone is also produced in small amounts by certain white blood cells, where it induces inflammation (swelling or tenderness), especially in the gut.
According to research, CRH has no thyrotropic impact in mammals. However, it has been discovered that, in addition to its corticotropic activity, CRH has a potent thyrotropic function, working with TRH to regulate the thyroid axis in non-mammalian vertebrates (TRH has been found to be less potent than CRH in some species).
Did You Know?
In order to produce its effects, the corticotropin-releasing hormone has been shown to interact with its receptors, corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRFR1) and corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 2 (CRFR2). CRF injections into the rodent paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) have been shown to increase CRFR1 expression, which leads to depression-like behaviours. Sex variations have also been discovered in CRF and the receptors with which it interacts.
FAQs on Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone (CRH): Overview & Importance
1. What exactly is Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone (CRH) and where is it produced in the body?
Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone (CRH), also known as Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF), is a crucial peptide hormone that initiates the body's response to stress. It is primarily produced and secreted by specialised nerve cells within the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus in the brain.
2. What is the main function of CRH as part of the endocrine system?
The principal function of CRH is to act on the anterior pituitary gland, stimulating it to produce and release another hormone called Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH). This action is the first critical step in a hormonal cascade designed to help the body manage various forms of stress.
3. What is the primary target organ for Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone?
The primary target organ for CRH is the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland. CRH travels from the hypothalamus to the anterior pituitary through a special portal blood system, where it binds to specific receptors on cells called corticotrophs, triggering them to release ACTH.
4. How does CRH regulate the body's stress response through the HPA axis?
CRH is the master regulator of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, the body's central stress response system. The process unfolds in a sequence:
- Step 1: The hypothalamus releases CRH in response to a stressor.
- Step 2: CRH stimulates the anterior pituitary to secrete ACTH into the bloodstream.
- Step 3: ACTH travels to the adrenal glands (specifically the adrenal cortex) and stimulates the release of cortisol.
5. How is the release of CRH controlled to prevent a constant stress response?
The release of CRH is controlled by a negative feedback loop. When levels of cortisol in the blood become high, cortisol itself signals back to both the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland to inhibit the production and release of CRH and ACTH, respectively. This mechanism ensures that the stress response is shut down once the stressor has passed, preventing the harmful effects of prolonged high cortisol levels.
6. What is the special importance of CRH during pregnancy?
During the later stages of pregnancy, the placenta becomes a major source of CRH, releasing it directly into the maternal and fetal circulation. This placental CRH is believed to play a critical role in several processes, including the maturation of the fetal lungs and, most importantly, in determining the timing and onset of labour. A sharp increase in CRH levels is often observed just before childbirth begins.
7. Besides initiating the stress response, what other functions does CRH perform in the brain?
Beyond its hormonal role in the HPA axis, CRH also functions as a neuromodulator directly within the brain. In this capacity, it influences behaviour and mood, playing a significant role in mediating feelings of anxiety and depression. It also affects the autonomic nervous system, contributing to increased heart rate, blood pressure, and alertness during stressful events.
