Corticotrophin Releasing Hormone: Chemistry and Recent Developments

Abstract

Corticotrophin Releasing Hormone [CRH; also known as Corticotrophin Releasing Factor (CRF)], a 41-amino-acid hormone, is one of the body’ major modulators of the stress response. CRH coordinates the endocrine, autonomic, and behavioural responses to stress through actions in both the brain and the periphery activating the ‘fight or flight’ response. CRH is also implicated in various neurological disorders including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and anorexia nervosa, and it has been described as a biological clock controlling the length of gestation in humans and other higher-order primates. In the past decade there has been an enormous effort expended in the design and development of new therapeutic agents targetting CRHs in the central nervous and peripheral systems. In this review, we examine the chemistry and recent developments in this exciting field.