Corticotropin release: inhibition by intrahypothalamic implantation of atropine.

Anterior hypothalamic implantations of crystalline atropine markedly inhibit the adrenocortical responses evoked by surgical stress, ether anesthesia, or intravenolus injection of arginine vasopressin. Similar implants in nearby regions of the brain or sham implantations in the same region were ineffective. The data suggest that the hypothalamic control of pituitary corticotropin may have a cholinergic component.