Facilitation of ACTH secretion by morphine is mediated by activation of CRF releasing neurons and sympathetic neuronal pathways.

Exogenously applied opioid agonists have a stimulatory effect on adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion. The present experiments were designed to examine the mechanisms involved in the stimulatory effect of the mu-receptor agonist morphine on ACTH release in chronically cannulated, freely moving, non-stressed rats. Morphine (7.5 mg/kg, i.v.) treatment was followed by a significant increase in plasma levels of ACTH. Pretreatment with the peripheral ganglionic blocker chlorisondamine (3 mg/kg, i.p.) attenuated the response to morphine. The morphine stimulatory effect was also partially inhibited if the rats were pretreated with a specific antiserum to corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). In rats given both CRF antiserum and chlorisondamine, the plasma ACTH levels remained unchanged after morphine application. These findings indicate that morphine stimulates the release of ACTH by activating both CRF-secretion and peripheral sympathetic neuronal pathways.