EFFECTS OF HCRH ON SLEEP AND BODY-TEMPERATURE RHYTHMS

We investigated the effects of human corticotropin-releasing hormone ( hCRH) on the sleep structure and body temperature rhythms of seven hea lthy young men. Polysomnographic recordings were obtained and body tem peratures were monitored continuously for 48 h in each subject followi ng the intravenous administration of saline or of 100 mu g hCRH. The a dministration of hCRH was associated with a significant phase-advancem ent in body temperature rhythm vs the saline control. The administrati on of hCRH affected non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep by reducing si gnificantly slow wave sleep (SWS) and sleep efficiency, whereas the pe rcentage of sleep stages 1 and 2 were increased significantly. These c hanges in body temperature rhythms and sleep structure induced by hCRH resembled those observed in patients with endogenous depression, exce pt for the findings during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. We hypothes ize that a hypersecretion of hCRH in patients with endogenous depressi on may help to explain the changes in body temperature rhythms and sle ep structure often reported in such patients. .