title: Potentiation of acoustic startle by corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and by fear are both reversed by alpha-helical CRF (9-41).
abstract: A series of experiments were performed to investigate the effects of alpha-helical CRF [9-41] (AHCRF), a structural analogue and functional antagonist of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), on CRF- and fear-potentiated acoustic startle amplitude. Intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of the CRF antagonist AHCRF reversed the potentiation of startle amplitude that was produced by ICV administration of CRF (1.0 micrograms). Doses of AHCRF that antagonized CRF-potentiated startle amplitude also reversed the potentiation of startle produced by conditioned "fear" but failed to lower startle baseline or antagonize strychnine-potentiated acoustic startle. These results suggest that CRF and "fear" may potentiate acoustic startle through overlapping neural substrates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla.
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Swerdlow
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Britton
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Koob
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005239:Fear; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012016:Reference Values; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000187:drug effects; D013331:Strychnine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; C045089:corticotropin releasing hormone (9-41); D013331:Strychnine