Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Corticotropin releasing factor produces behavioural activation in rats

Abstract

A 41-residue peptide with high potency and intrinsic activity to stimulate the secretion of corticotropin and β-endorphin by the adenohypophysis has been characterized and synthesized1,2,19. From experience with other hypophysiotropic and brain peptides3–5, and studies suggesting that CRF could act centrally to activate the sympathetic nervous system (M. Brown et al., in preparation), we considered it likely that this corticotropin/β-endorphin releasing factor (CRF) would have direct behavioural actions. We decided to investigate the effects of CRF on a simple measure of activation in the rat, locomotor activity in photocell cages. We report here that centrally injected synthetic CRF produces a dose-dependent locomotor activation in rats. This increase in activity was not produced by peripheral administration of CRF. In an open field test, rats receiving centrally injected CRF exhibited behaviour consistent with an increase in emotionality. These results suggest that CRF may have an activating action in the central nervous system independent of its effects on the anterior pituitary gland.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Vale, W., Spiess, J., Rivier, C. & Rivier, J. Science 213, 1394–1397 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Speiss, J., Rivier, J., Rivier, C. & Vale, W. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78, 6517–6521 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Witter, A. & deWied, D. in Handbook of the Hypothalamus (eds Morgane, P. & Panksepp, J.) 307–451 (Dekker, New York, 1980).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Vale, W., Rivier, C. & Brown, M. in Handbook of the Hypothalamus (eds Morgane, P. & Panksepp, J.) 165–252 (Dekker, New York, 1980).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Plotnikoff, N. P., Prange, A. J. Jr, Breese, G. R., Anderson, M. S. & Wilson, I. C. Science 178, 417–418 (1972).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Marki, W., Spiess, J., Tache, Y., Brown, M. & Rivier, J. E. J. Am. chem. Soc. 103, 3178–3185 (1981).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Whimbey, A. E. & Denenberg, V. H. J. comp. Physiol. Psychol. 63, 500–504 (1967).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Segal, D. S. et al. in Endorphins in Mental Health Research (eds Usdin, E., Bunney, W. E. Jr & Kline, N. S.) 307–324 (Macmillan, London, 1979).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  9. Dunn, A. J., Green, E. J. & Isaacson, R. L. Science 203, 281–283 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Gispen, W. H., Weigant, V. M., Greven, H. M. & DeWeid, D. Life Sci. 17, 645–652 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Ferrari, W., Gessa, G. L. & Vargiu, L., Ann, N. Y. Acad. Sci. 104, 330–345 (1963).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. DeWied, D. Am. J. Physiol. 207, 255–259 (1964).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Montecucchi, P. C., Henschen, A. & Erspamer, V. Hoppe-Seyler's Z. physiol. Chem. 360, 1178–1183 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Denenberg, V. H. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 159, 852–859 (1969).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Selye, H. Stress (Acta, Montreal, 1950).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Rossier, J. et al. Nature 270, 618–620 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Guillemin, R. et al. Science 197, 1367–1369 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Akil, H., Watson, S. J., Barchas, J. D. & Li, C. H. Life Sci. 24, 1659–1665 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Brown, M. et al. Life Sci. 30, 207–210 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Brown, M. et al. Regulatory Peptides (in the press).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sutton, R., Koob, G., Le Moal, M. et al. Corticotropin releasing factor produces behavioural activation in rats. Nature 297, 331–333 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/297331a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/297331a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing