Valproic acid inhibits corticotropin-releasing factor synthesis and release from the rat hypothalamus in vitro: evidence for the involvement of GABAergic neurotransmission.

Objective: Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), the major adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretagogue, acts within the brain to integrate the stress responses of the central nervous, endocrine and immune systems. The involvement of this peptide in the origin and pathophysiology of various endocrine, neurologic, inflammatory and psychiatric diseases, particularly affective disorders, has also been suggested. The antiepileptic drug valproic acid is frequently used as a mood-stabilizing agent in patients with bipolar disorders; however, its mechanism of action for the latter indication is still poorly characterized.