Some Issues in Research on Human Behavior and Adrenocortical Function

teresting study by Dr. Persky et al. is an at-tempt to measure a trophic hormone of the anterior pituitary. A decade ago, adrenocor-tical function was assessed by measuring metabolic processes known to be influenced by the adrenal cortex. These metabolic processes were, however, also influenced by a variety of other regulatory forces, and so interpretation of results was very difficult. Then, with the publication in 1952 of the Nelson-Samuels method for biochemical measurement of hydrocortisone,1 a more direct index of adrenocortical function be-came available, and much valuable infor-mation has been obtained through its use. As a next step, it would surely be logical to measure ACTH, and we may expect in-creasing efforts to do so over the coming few years. Such measurements bring us one step closer to the central nervous system and to behavior. If we are interested in coordination of the total organism as it meets environmen-tal contingencies, we would certainly bene-fit from reliable, precise chemical methods From the National Institute o £ Mental Health

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• Reaction of the Adrenal Cortex to Emotional Stress

  EUGENE L BLISS, CLAUDE J MIGEON et al.•Psychosomatic Medicine•1956

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• Psychological Stress and Endocrine Functions

  FRANCIS BOARD, Harold Persky et al.•Psychosomatic Medicine•1956

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