What is ACTH?
Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland. Its key function is to stimulate the adrenal gland to produce cortisol.

There is evidence that this negative feedback system does not work so well in people with depression or other mental health problems. This means that they can tend to have higher levels of cortisol compared with people who have never been depressed.
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