Epinephrine-Induced Release of ACTH in Normal Human Subjects: A Test of Pituitary Function

Abstract

Effect of one-minute epinephrine infusions on ACTH release was studied in 14 normal adult male and 12 normal adult female human subjects. With 0.50 μg/kg epinephrine, maximum blood ACTH levels were achieved 2.5 minutes following the beginning of the epinephrine infusion. The peak ACTH level in females was approximately 3 times as great as the peak level in males. With 0.25 μg/kg of epinephrine, a graded response was seen in females, while the response in males was not consistent. Cardiovascular responses to these doses of epinephrine were not alarming. Saline placebo infusions produced no ACTH release. The measurement of blood corticotropin activity following an epinephrine stress is proposed as a test of the secretory functional capacity of the adenohypophysis.