Behavioral effects of ovine corticotropin-releasing factor administered to rhesus monkeys.

Synthetic ovine corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) administered i.v. and intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) to rhesus monkeys resulted in endocrine, autonomic, and behavioral changes. When the monkeys were chair-restrained, behavioral arousal increased. When the same doses of CRF were administered in a more familiar environment, the animals became behaviorally inhibited. Behavioral alterations were associated with hypotension after i.v. CRF. Slight increases in blood pressure were observed after i.c.v. CRF. The potential clinical significance for the use of rhesus monkey to study the effects of CRF is discussed.