Associated endocrine, physiological and behavioral changes in rhesus monkeys after intravenous corticotropin-releasing factor administration.

The intravenous (IV) administration of synthetic ovine corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) (10 and 125 micrograms/kg) to chair restrained rhesus monkeys stimulated the pituitary-adrenal axis. At these doses, increases in plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol were associated with blood pressure decreases and behavioral effects. These data demonstrate that synthetic ovine CRF (10 and 125 micrograms/kg) administered IV to the rhesus monkey results in associated endocrine, physiological, and behavioral changes.